SLAm 3D Printing Pen Concept
3D printing with a syringe and laser pointer.
For the Formlabs 2017 Hackathon, I developed a Sterolithography 3D-printing pen concept with another intern, called SLAm ('SLA mini'). SLAm uses a syringe filled with 3D printer resin, and a UV laser pointer connected with an adjustable joint. The UV laser pointer circuitry is wired to a pushbutton, installed at the end of the syringe. To use the pen, a user holds the lower syringe, adjusts the laser pointer to point at its tip, and squeezes. This simultaneously deploys resin and activates the UV laser, resulting in the photopolymerization of resin as it is squeezed out. A small UV-resistant acrylic plate is positioned to protect the user from eye damage.