MIT reuses resin 3D-printing supports

On a printer’s build plate, a dragonfly wing with extremely fine veins is printed, removed, and then replaced by the next one. The same supports are used four times. MIT researchers tested a thin layer of water-soluble resin that makes it possible to separate the part without tearing off or discarding the structure that holds it in place.

In resin 3D printing, supports are essential for overhangs and complex geometries. But they increase material consumption, require manual removal and can mark or damage the surface. MIT’s process begins by attaching prefabricated supports to the build plate using a kinematic coupling system, which ensures their positioning. An automated needle then deposits a small amount of water-soluble resin on each tip, which is cured with ultraviolet light.

This layer acts as a sacrificial interface. The support never directly touches the part. After washing and polymerization, the assembly is placed in an ultrasonic bath filled with water: the water-soluble resin dissolves and the part is released with virtually no mechanical force, while the supports remain in place for the next print.

The material savings are clear in the comparison conducted with a Formlabs Form 4 and its default support settings. 76% of the total resin volume went to the supports, which were then discarded, versus 24% for the final part. With MIT’s method, only the interface is consumed, accounting for about 5% of total resin consumption in each new cycle.

So what does this mean in practice? This approach could reduce waste and manual intervention in the manufacture of complex resin parts. But it remains at the experimental stage: it requires a printer designed to operate from top to bottom and an automated system capable of depositing the resin precisely. The researchers also observed small amounts of cured residue on some tips, with no effect on the four tests. The number of reuses possible before significant wear occurs remains to be established.