Boston Micro Fabrication (BMF) has unveiled BMF Clear, an optically transparent photopolymer resin designed for applications requiring both exceptional light transmission and micro-level accuracy.
The material achieves over 90% light transmittance, a threshold that has long eluded micro-scale 3D printing, and is compatible with the company’s 10-micron and 25-micron systems, printing at layer heights between 10 and 50 microns.
The announcement addresses a persistent bottleneck for researchers and engineers working in microfluidics, photonics, biomedical devices, and advanced optics. Until now, achieving optical clarity at the micro scale typically meant falling back on traditional fabrication methods like PDMS soft lithography, a process that limits design freedom, scalability, and durability.
CEO John Kawola explains: “For years, achieving optical clarity with high print fidelity has led researchers to rely on traditional methods like PDMS soft lithography, which limits scalability, durability, and design flexibility. BMF Clear directly addresses this challenge, bridging the gap between prototyping and production-level micro-manufacturing.”
The practical implications span several demanding sectors. In microfluidics, the material enables the production of lab-on-a-chip systems with perfusable, optically clear internal channels.
In photonics, it supports the direct printing of freeform micro-lenses onto fiber optic tips, chip surfaces, or sensor arrays; applications that have historically been difficult to scale. On the biomedical side, BMF Clear has passed tests for skin irritation, sensitization, and in vitro cytotoxicity, opening potential use in endoscopic systems, intraocular tools, and drug delivery devices.
For those following BMF’s trajectory, this launch fits a clear pattern of pushing the boundaries of what micro-precision AM can produce. We covered the company’s Series C funding round of $43 million back in 2022, and more recently spoke with CEO John Kawola about the state and direction of the micro 3D printing market. The company has also expanded into adjacent verticals, including its debut on the dental market with what it called the world’s thinnest 3D printed dental veneer.
BMF Clear is available immediately through direct sales and BMF’s European distribution network.
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