3D printing with the Carbon 3D printer and the CLIP technology

The CLIP technology was introduced for the first time in February 2014, when its inventors (Joseph M. DeSimone, Alexander Ermoshkin, Nikita Ermoshkin, and Edward T. Samulski) filled the two first patents. A few months later, the company CARBON3D was created to commercially use this brand new technology.

The company made itself famous through at TED talk given by CARBON3D's founder. In this presentation, Joseph M. DeSimone demonstrated that it was possible to 3D print a complex object in roughly 10 minutes. A recent $100 millions investment from Google in the company also contributed to make it famous in the 3D printing industry and in the tech world.

Carbon’s CLIP-based technology combines the engineering-grade properties of thermoplastics with exceptional resolution and surface finish. It makes a range of features and applications possible for industries as varied as automotive, medical and consumer electronics.

image of Carbon 3D printer with part in the building platform

The Carbon 3D printer after a successful 3D print with the building platform up

The CLIP 3D printing technology and its benefits

CLIP, which stands for Continuous Liquid Interface Production, eliminates shortcomings of other 3D printing technology by emphasizing a tunable photochemical process over a traditional mechanical approach.

how the CLIP technology works

The CLIP technology

CLIP works by projecting a continuous sequence of UV images, generated by a digital light projector, through an oxygen-permeable, UV-transparent window below a liquid resin bath. The dead zone created above the window maintains a liquid interface below the part. Above the dead zone, the curing part is drawn out of the resin bath.

What are the materials supported by the CLIP technology?

Carbon has created a diverse and growing selection of materials that enable product designers and engineers to build functional prototypes and production parts. We currently have seven Carbon materials available for use. The materials were designed to meet common engineering requirements — from the elongation and resilience expected of an injection molded polyurethane elastomer to the temperature resistance of a glass-filled Nylon, and many more. Please contact us to learn if Carbon’s materials are right for your application needs.

Nozzle part 3D printed on Carbon 3D with CLIP technology

How to 3D print with the CLIP technology?

For now the access to a Carbon 3D printer is limited. Sculpteo is part of a select group of early customers, working with Carbon to apply CLIP across industries.

For an early access to the CLIP 3D printing technology, we created a waiting list to which you can enroll and be among the first to try it. We look forward to learning about your needs to discover if CLIP is the right solution for you.

Of course, if you're in a rush, there are alternatives to these materials, in particular when using our Resin material produced with the Polyjet technology.

We have created a wealth of information to help you choose between the various materials. Why not take a look at:

If your choice is certain, simply take a look at the list of available materials on the Sculpteo website or upload a 3D file .