Dual Light 3D Printing: Create Objects Combining Soft and Hard Zones in a Single Piece
3D printing has just taken a qualitative leap with a system that allows combining rigid and flexible zones in the same object, without assemblies or post-processing. The key lies in the intelligent use of two types of light to selectively cure special resins.
"It's like having a switch that decides which parts will be hard like plastic and which flexible like rubber, all in the same printing process"
How This Revolutionary Technology Works
The system uses:
- Blue light to create rigid and structural zones
- Red light for soft and flexible areas
Applications That Will Change 3D Design
This technique opens possibilities for:
- More comfortable and functional medical prostheses
- Industrial components with integrated cushioning
- Prototypes that perfectly mimic final products
- Toys and wearables with variable textures
Preparing Models for This Technology
Designers can use Blender, ZBrush or Fusion 360 to:
- Define zones with different properties
- Create gradual transitions between materials
- Optimize geometries for maximum functionality
Like any technological advance, there will be those who print a shoe with a hard sole and soft body... and discover that walking on gel wasn't as good an idea as it seemed. But that's progress: sometimes you have to stumble over a flexible prototype to move forward 😉