3D printing just got 100 times faster and infinitely more mesmerising

For the last 25 years, 3D printing has involved melting a material and using the liquid to painstakingly print an object layer-by-layer. Not anymore.

The team at printing start-up Carbon3D have made public their process that not only changes everything, but looks incredibly cool to boot.

Their technique sees fully formed objects rise from a pool of liquid, removing the need for stacked layers and the imperfections between them.

The process, known as Continuous Liquid Interface Production (CLIP), sees specially engineered liquids reacting to oxygen and UV light to behave in the desired way and form the object according to pre-made renderings. Yes, like the T-1000, as just about everyone has pointed out.

The result is between 25 and 100 times faster than the traditional process, and it opens up the field to a variety of materials that were previously impossible to print – things like ceramics and organic materials are now in the game.

This is because manufacturers don't have to use materials that they can melt but are solid at room temperature.

Instead, they can use anything that they can engineer to respond to oxygen by hardening, and UV light by becoming liquid.

Carbon3D have been working under-the-radar on this breakthrough for the last 14 months, and they're backed by some of Silicon Valley's most reputable financiers.

Now everyone wants to know what they're going to do next.

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