Researchers at Concordia University have developed a new method of 3D printing that uses acoustic holograms.

The researchers are persuaded that the new method could revolutionize 3D printing and its applications in many industries.

The new method, called holographic direct sound printing (HDSP), uses sonochemical reactions to create extremely high temperatures and pressures for trillionths of a second to harden resin into complex patterns.

HDSP can print 3D structures from acoustic holograms that contain cross-sectional images of a particular design, creating different parts of a structure simultaneously.

“This method allows for the manipulation of acoustic fields to simultaneously create an image of the entire layer,” note the researchers in a paper published in Nature Communications.

The precise control of acoustic holograms allows acoustic holography to store information of multiple images in a single hologram. This means multiple objects can be printed at the same time at different locations within the same printing space.

This could improve printing speed by up to 20 times while at the same time using less energy, say the researchers in a Concordia University press release.

A short video explanation of HDSP is available from Concordia University’s YouTube channel.

Revolutionary applications

“You can imagine the possibilities,” says research leader Muthukumaran Packirisam. “We can print behind opaque objects, behind a wall, inside a tube or inside the body. The technique that we already use and the devices that we use have already been approved for medical applications.”

The medical applications of HDSP that have been identified so far include the creation of complex tissue structures, localized drug and cell delivery systems and advanced tissue engineering. For example, skin grafts that can enhance healing and improved drug delivery for therapies that require specific therapeutic agents at specific sites.

Since sound waves can penetrate opaque surfaces, HSDP can be used to print inside a body or behind solid material. This can be helpful in repairing damaged organs or delicate parts located deep within an airplane, Packirisam added.

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