By Liz Stevens, writer, UV+EB Technology
Supernova, based in Austin, Texas, is redefining additive manufacturing with its Viscous Lithography Manufacturing (VLM) process. By combining its ultra-high-viscosity Viscogel photopolymer resins with its Pulse One 3D printer, modular Postprocessing Cell and Control Center application, the system delivers parts with near-injection-molded properties. Viscogel resins can be up to 5,000,000 cP (centipoise) at room temperature and can include more than 80% oligomer content. Supernova uses sheet-based resins applied via controlled layer deposition and cured with precise UV patterning.
The manufacturing platform can accommodate chemistries from acrylates and methacrylates to polyurethanes, thiols and silicones, offering an alternative to thermoplastics and thermosets for high-performance applications. UV+EB Technology spoke with Supernova’s Dr. Robert Young, director of materials, to learn more about these additive manufacturing materials and technologies.
Hardware
Supernova’s equipment includes the Pulse One additive manufacturing printer and the modular Pulse Postprocessing Cell. The Pulse One printer, incorporating VLM, has a build volume of 350x200x300 mm. The XY resolution is 46 μm and the Z resolution is 50 to 200 μm. Pulse One offers accuracy up to IT12 grade (tolerance on linear dimensions) and surface finish of 3 Ra (roughness average). The repeatability process capability is CpK > 1.0. The printer’s throughput is 5 kg/h.
The Pulse One uses an adapted LCD display with a strong, collimated 405 nm backlight to produce the layer image. “This enables full width and depth of the platform to be cured at the same time,” said Young, “without concerns of distortion seen in projection or laser-based techniques. Depending on the material, we tune in the energy output for an ideal match of degree of cure, time per layer and accuracy, though the current system goes up to 16 mW/cm2 at the surface of the polymerization (after the screen).”
The printer features two material deposits for either side mounted underneath the printing area. Each pair of containers handles the feed-in and extraction of resin material on a carrier sheet, allowing for two types of resin to be available for application. Applying two types of resin in one build layer is facilitated by a cleaning system that prevents cross-contamination. “The cleaning system runs between the material changeover layers to clean the part surface interfaces between applications of dual materials,” Young said, “This eliminates any ‘bleed’ between the materials that might cause distortion in properties.” And with the VLM mechanical system, resin can be laminated from both sides of the carrier film.
For postprocessing, Supernova’s Pulse Postprocessing Cell includes integrated modules that are configured based on the customer’s needs. The postprocess workflow is customizable for each part reference, including personalized postprocessing recipes, quality control and specific operator validations when necessary. The configuration includes an input bay module, which can store up to 10 build trays at a time, a variable speed centrifugation unit to remove uncured material, a variable-temperature and variable-frequency ultrasonic bath, a second ultrasonic bath, a water rinse, a drying unit, a manual step to remove parts from the build platform, a UV curing unit, a thermal curing unit, and an output bay that can store up to 10 build trays at a time. Supernova has not disclosed its UV curing specs.
Each postprocessing cell module can handle output from up to four Pulse machines and can process up to 24 builds per day. The Pulse Control Center software (described below) manages the postprocessing steps and specifications. Every print job follows a preset postprocessing recipe for consistent quality and repeatability. Each processing stage is traceable, with detailed records for each part reference throughout the process.
Postprocessing is highly automated, with built-in quality control routines at every step so that operator intervention is required only if anomalies are detected. “We have implemented sensors for weighing the builds,” Young explained. “This is to determine the presence of either excess material or broken parts, and it is combined with cameras to track any root cause of problems and to improve traceability. Each build also is tracked with RFIDs so that the entire routine is tracked for each step of the process from stereolithography file input to part output.”
Resin materials
Designed in conjunction with Pulse equipment, Supernova offers a selection of rigid and elastomeric Viscogels materials that are super-high viscosity resins, which can be beyond 1,000,000 cP (centipoise). The rigid resins are comparable to PA6-GF20, POM and ABS-CF7. The elastomers are comparable to EPDM, NBR, TPV and TPU. Unlike conventional DLP, SLA or MSLA additive manufacturing processes, which require low-viscosity resins, Supernova reports that its VLM can handle photopolymers with up to 100 times higher viscosity, resulting in superior mechanical properties and performance.
Software
Supernova’s Pulse Control Center includes software for end-to-end production management. This includes process integration and fleet management, materials and warehouse management, production planning and simulation, cost and performance reporting, maintenance and resource planning, and an API dashboard and alerts. The Control Center contains VLM “recipes,” the process workflow and parameters that specify material, part geometry and other preset and locked parameters. The center holds traceability data and reports, including cost-per-part reports.
“The Pulse Control Center is a centralized software platform installed directly within a customer’s set-up,” Young explained. “It can be integrated with existing software and IT systems, allowing operators to manage machines, materials and production workflows from a single interface. The software ensures that every step is traced, part quality is maintained, and all production data is centralized, providing full traceability and instant cost-per-part insights while simplifying complex operations.”
With VLM technology, Supernova is pushing the boundaries of additive manufacturing by enabling the use of ultra-high-viscosity resins for parts that rival traditional injection molding.
For its VLM technology, Supernova was chosen as a RadLaunch Award winner at RadTech UV+EB 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. For more information, visit
www.supernova3d.com.
