Sprybuild: Revolutionizing 3D Printing with Automated Continuous DLP and AI Integration

Based in Israel, Sprybuild is at the forefront of developing groundbreaking automated 3D printing solutions designed to offer unparalleled flexibility and efficiency for users across various industries. Their innovative approach centers around a unique resin 3D printer that incorporates a continuous metal conveyor belt, fundamentally transforming the traditional additive manufacturing process. Unlike conventional systems that rely on static printing plates, Sprybuild’s conveyor belt mechanism allows parts to unroll continuously as they are fabricated, facilitating uninterrupted production. The company leverages advanced DLP (Digital Light Processing) technology, known for its high-speed capabilities and precision, to achieve rapid and accurate prints. Beyond the printing itself, Sprybuild is also dedicated to developing a fully automated post-processing system. This holistic vision aims to automate the entire workflow, providing a comprehensive, turnkey solution from design to finished product. We recently had the opportunity to speak with CEO Oleg Khalip to delve deeper into this revolutionary 3D printer, understand the startup’s ambitious objectives, and explore their exciting future developments in the world of industrial additive manufacturing.

3DN: Could you introduce yourself and Sprybuild, highlighting the company’s core vision?

My name is Oleg Khalip, and I have the privilege of serving as the CEO of Sprybuild. My journey in manufacturing began in Ukraine in 1992, where I founded and managed several companies, gaining extensive experience in invention and engineering. In 2016, driven by a passion for innovation, I assembled a dedicated team of enthusiasts to establish Sprybuild – a pioneering startup focused on developing advanced 3D printing solutions. I led and funded this project until geopolitical events necessitated our relocation to Haifa, Israel. This move proved to be a pivotal moment, allowing us to critically reassess our existing products, vigorously pursue new ideas, and forge vital partnerships that have been instrumental in our progress.

Our overarching aim at Sprybuild is to fundamentally transform the manufacturing industry by delivering automated, highly efficient, and sustainable 3D printing solutions applicable across an extensive range of sectors – from the demanding requirements of aerospace to the intricate needs of medical devices. Our innovations are meticulously designed to simplify complex manufacturing processes, significantly reduce production costs, and minimize environmental impact, aligning with a global push towards more sustainable industrial practices. We firmly believe that advanced 3D printing technology offers boundless opportunities for crafting a more sustainable and adaptable future, which continuously fuels our commitment to refine our technologies and expand their practical applications. At Sprybuild, we take immense pride in our exceptional team, whose collective expertise, relentless dedication, and creative problem-solving are the very heart of our innovative endeavors. It is through their profound knowledge and forward-thinking approach that we are able to develop and implement state-of-the-art 3D printing technologies that not only meet current market expectations but consistently exceed the effectiveness and efficiency of existing solutions.

3DN: How did the foundational idea for Sprybuild and its innovative approach to resin 3D printing come about?

Drawing upon my extensive background in precision engineering and chemical manufacturing, combined with a robust entrepreneurial spirit and access to essential resources, I harbored a long-standing vision: to radically accelerate the conventional 3D printing process, particularly within resin-based systems. In 2016, this aspiration began to materialize when I formed a small, dedicated research group, and together we embarked on this challenging yet exhilarating adventure. By 2017, our efforts culminated in a significant milestone at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco, where we proudly unveiled our inaugural high-speed resin 3D printer prototype in live action. At that time, we achieved an astonishing print speed of 10 mm/min along the Z-axis, a result that, even today, remains remarkably impressive and indicative of our early success in continuous 3D printing. This achievement profoundly inspired us, solidifying our belief in Sprybuild’s potential and effectively marking the moment when our endeavor truly transitioned from a research project into a nascent company. However, we recognized that to truly succeed, we still needed to thoroughly understand the nuanced challenges of the additive manufacturing industry and precisely align our strategic goals to address these complexities effectively.

3DN: Could you elaborate on the core technology and unique features of your Sprybuild 3D printer?

At the very core of the Sprybuild 3D printer’s groundbreaking design lies its innovative DLP (Digital Light Processing) technology, uniquely integrated with a continuous conveyor belt system that replaces the traditional, static printing plate. This specialized metal conveyor belt is engineered to move at an acute angle relative to the DLP projection, and it boasts an exceptionally high degree of surface stabilization. This critical stability is ingeniously achieved through the implementation of an effective yet remarkably simple magnetic system. Furthermore, a key innovation is its integrated automatic part release function, which dramatically streamlines the entire production workflow by virtually eliminating printer downtime for manual part removal. This contributes significantly to the system’s overall efficiency and throughput in industrial 3D printing applications.

Sprybuild’s proprietary technology incorporates a solid optical interface, which is instrumental in facilitating a truly continuous build process. While it shares some conceptual similarities with Carbon3D’s CLIP technology in its pursuit of continuous production, Sprybuild’s approach is distinctly unique. The primary challenge we successfully addressed was twofold: first, to completely eliminate the need for oxygen or other inhibitors to prevent resin curing near the interface, and second, to simultaneously engineer precise “dead zones” where the photopolymer resin could consistently remain in a liquid state. These dead zones are absolutely critical, as they ensure a seamless and uninterrupted flow of fresh resin into the active print zone. This continuous resin supply is a paramount factor in our ability to achieve and sustain exceptionally high-speed 3D printing without compromising part quality. Sprybuild’s ingenuity in developing an interface that precisely meets these stringent requirements ensures efficient resin flow and targeted curing only where it is intended, setting our technology apart in the continuous additive manufacturing landscape.

We were pioneers in developing a unique, continuous manufacturing process that does not rely on resin inhibition by oxygen or light, and crucially, it is compatible with an exceptionally wide variety of UV resins available on the market. This broad material compatibility opens up vast possibilities for diverse applications. In our most recent prototype, we demonstrated stable, high-quality printing of intricate dental models at an impressive speed of 55 mm/min (with a 100-micron layer thickness). Moreover, our ongoing development suggests the very real possibility of reaching even higher production speeds, potentially up to 150 mm/min, which would further solidify our position as leaders in high-throughput resin 3D printing.

Beyond the printing process itself, Sprybuild is actively developing a fully automated post-processing system, meticulously integrated with the printer. This system is designed to seamlessly handle the flow of printed parts in a sequential manner, thereby completely eliminating the need for human intervention in the traditionally labor-intensive post-printing stages. These stages typically include crucial steps such as cleaning, drying, and final curing of the printed objects. A significant benefit of this automation is the minimization of human contact with potentially hazardous materials, including various alcohols and uncured resins, significantly enhancing workplace safety and reducing operational risks associated with resin 3D printing.

This integrated approach profoundly streamlines the entire additive manufacturing workflow, from the initial print command to the final, ready-to-use part, making the process inherently more efficient, reliable, and scalable for industrial production. It directly confronts and resolves one of the major challenges inherent in additive manufacturing today: the reduction of labor- and time-intensive manual steps after printing, which frequently become bottlenecks in high-volume production flows. By automating these critical post-processing steps, Sprybuild not only achieves a substantial improvement in overall productivity but also guarantees a consistently high quality for all printed parts, as every post-processing phase is precisely controlled and executed without human variability.

Furthermore, this significant development perfectly aligns with the broader industry trend towards fully automated additive manufacturing solutions. The ultimate objective in this evolution is to minimize human error, drastically reduce labor costs, and simultaneously maximize both production yield and the consistent quality of output. The seamless integration of an advanced automated post-processing system with Sprybuild’s continuous resin 3D printing technology represents a monumental leap forward. It positions 3D printing as a much more viable and attractive option for true mass production and an expansive array of demanding industrial applications, truly moving the industry towards its automated future.

3DN: What are the primary applications and target industries for Sprybuild’s advanced 3D printer?

Sprybuild’s cutting-edge 3D printing technology offers highly specialized and robust solutions tailored for a diverse array of demanding applications across multiple sectors. Our innovations are designed to bring unprecedented precision, efficiency, and customization capabilities to industries ready for the next generation of manufacturing:

• **Dental Models and Appliances:** Our technology is perfectly suited for the rapid and precise manufacture of dental models, surgical guides, and various custom dental appliances, significantly enhancing the accuracy, fit, and turnaround times in dental care facilities and laboratories.
• **Footwear Industry Innovation:** In the dynamic footwear industry, our continuous 3D printing solutions will revolutionize the production of highly customized uppers, intricate sole structures, and personalized insoles. This offers unparalleled levels of design freedom, ergonomic customization, and ultimate comfort for individual wearers.
• **Spectacle Frames and Eyewear:** The versatility and precision of our printers extend effortlessly to the production of bespoke spectacle frames. This capability unlocks new realms of design freedom for eyewear manufacturers, allowing for intricate geometries, lightweight structures, and enhanced durability for stylish and functional products.
• **Advanced Healthcare Sector Solutions:** Within the critical healthcare sector, our additive manufacturing solutions greatly facilitate the rapid and accurate fabrication of highly personalized hearing aids, custom prosthetic elements, and other patient-specific medical devices. This prioritizes individual patient needs, leading to improved fit, comfort, and ultimately, a better quality of life.
• **Precision Casting and Molding:** Our technology is ideally suited for the creation of exceptionally detailed combustion models, sacrificial patterns for precision molding, and intricate tooling components. These are absolutely essential for producing high-quality, complex components across a variety of demanding industrial sectors, ensuring superior surface finish and dimensional accuracy.
• **Electronics Connectors and Housings:** The production of highly functional connectors, robust housings, and other intricate components for electrical equipment will also experience significant improvements in both manufacturing efficiency and product quality. This enables manufacturers to meet the stringent demands and rapid evolution of the modern electronics market with greater agility and precision.

3DN: What are Sprybuild’s next strategic projects and technological advancements on the horizon?

Sprybuild is committed to fundamentally redefining the landscape of 3D printing by seamlessly integrating advanced autonomous hardware capabilities with a sophisticated, AI-driven software stack. While our journey in software development is still in its nascent stages, we have already achieved significant milestones, successfully integrating critical functions such as automated slicing and intelligent nesting directly into the printer’s operational framework. This initial integration already streamlines the preparation phase of 3D printing, enhancing efficiency and reducing manual effort.

The immediate next phase of our development is sharply focused on pioneering the creation of advanced AI-based scanning and comprehensive quality validation systems. These upcoming components are not merely incremental enhancements; they are foundational to ensuring the profoundly stable, consistently reliable, and exceptionally accurate operation of our printers in demanding industrial environments. Once these systems are fully implemented and optimized, they will empower our 3D printers with revolutionary capabilities, including automatic self-calibration and a sophisticated “autopilot mode” for the entire printing process, drastically reducing the need for constant human oversight and intervention. This level of autonomy will ensure unprecedented print reliability and consistency.

Sprybuild’s strategic integration of these cutting-edge advanced software and hardware capabilities is laying robust foundations for the introduction of a more resilient, reliable, and user-centric subscription-based business model. This forward-thinking model is meticulously designed not only to guarantee that our users consistently have access to the very latest technological advancements and software updates but also to strategically position Sprybuild as an indispensable long-term partner in their operational success. Through this model, we will provide ongoing, dedicated support, continuous system enhancements, and timely updates. This comprehensive approach is poised to significantly reduce the traditional barriers to entry for accessing high-quality, industrial-grade 3D printing technology, thereby making advanced additive manufacturing more accessible and beneficial to an even wider spectrum of businesses and diverse industries.

3DN: Do you have any final thoughts or a message you’d like to share with our readers?

The sheer incredible quality, versatility, and expanding range of products that we can now create using advanced photopolymer resins is truly an exhilarating development for the manufacturing world. What’s even more promising is that the cost of these high-performance resins is steadily falling, which is opening up a vast and exciting world of possibilities for efficiently manufacturing highly customized items on an industrial scale. We are witnessing an incredible material evolution, with everything from exceptionally tough and durable resins capable of enduring significant stress, to highly flexible elastomers for soft-touch applications, specialized resins designed to burn cleanly for precision molding processes, and even innovative materials that seamlessly blend ceramics or metals into the polymer matrix, expanding functional properties like never before.

However, the inherent slowness and operational complexities of traditional SLA (Stereolithography Apparatus) 3D printing are merely the surface of the challenges facing manufacturers. Beyond speed, businesses grapple with a multitude of significant problems: the preparation work can be incredibly tedious and time-consuming, achieving consistent, repeatable quality often feels like an unpredictable gamble, and this doesn’t even account for the pervasive lack of automation in the crucial post-processing stages. Furthermore, there’s the environmental and logistical burden of waste – including disposable support structures, chemical IPA cleaning solutions – compounded by the sheer volume of manual labor required and the accumulation of extra peripheral equipment needed to manage these steps effectively. These inefficiencies represent major bottlenecks to wider adoption of resin 3D printing in industrial settings.

At Sprybuild, we recognized these formidable challenges not as obstacles, but as powerful opportunities for innovation. We embraced them head-on, rolling up our sleeves and setting exceptionally ambitious goals to redefine what’s possible in additive manufacturing. After seven years of relentless effort, dedication, and significant investment of “blood, sweat, and tears,” we are immensely proud to declare that we have developed robust, comprehensive solutions for every one of these critical issues. Our mission extends far beyond simply making things faster or cheaper. It’s about fundamentally pushing the boundaries of what is achievable with advanced 3D printing technology, firmly establishing it as an indispensable and integral part of future industrial manufacturing processes. We are not just talking about incremental improvements; we are envisioning and actively building towards a future where “made-to-measure” and hyper-customization will become the new, standard norm in production, empowering industries with unprecedented agility and capability.

What are your thoughts on Sprybuild’s innovative approach to automated 3D printing? We invite you to share your comments below or engage with us on our LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter pages! Don’t forget to sign up for our free weekly newsletter here to receive the latest 3D printing news and insights straight to your inbox! You can also find all our compelling videos and demonstrations on our YouTube channel for a visual dive into our technologies.

*All Photo Credits: Sprybuild