3D printer manufacturer BCN3D announced that last year, during Q4, it executed a carve-out of its Viscous Lithography Manufacturing (VLM) business unit into Supernova.

The new company is a completely standalone entity – and not a subsidiary of BCN3D. It has been incorporated in the US and will have headquarters in both Austin (Texas, US) and Barcelona (Spain).

If you remember, BCN3D introduced the VLM solution in 2022, a patented lithography-based 3D printing process that laminates thin layers of high-viscosity resins onto a transparent transfer film, producing high-performance parts rapidly and affordably.

According to BCN3D, what distinguishes VLM from other resin technologies on the market is its ability to process resins 50x more viscous than the industry standard. The introduction was followed by a collaboration with Henkel and other material producers as well as an adoption program with over 500 registered companies willing to assess the capabilities of this technology.

With the formulation freedom enabled by high viscosity, Supernova’s materials portfolio benefits from a broader set of available ingredients, achieving superior properties. From a chemical-base standpoint, the process can handle not only acrylates but also silicones, epoxies, or filled materials, among others.

As for the companies in the adoption program, they span various industries, including Automotive, Aerospace, Manufacturing, Consumer Goods, Footwear, Audiology, and Healthcare, among others.

The official launch of Supernova today is the sign that there is a market for high-viscosity resins and Supernova now intends to earn a couple of shares there. With a business model that is different from BCN3D, Supernova will be led by Roger Antunez as CEO, who previously served as the General Manager of BCN3D since 2019. Joining him as a co-founder is Marta Mico, formerly the VLM Head of Business Development at BCN3D. Additionally, Eric Pallares, the former CTO of BCN3D, will join Supernova as a Distinguished Technologist. Meanwhile, the rest of the team will remain at BCN3D, with Pol Domenech, the Sales Director, stepping up as the new General Manager.

The next steps for Supernova?

Strategic partnerships with customers such as Puma, Saint Gobain, Orbea, Hutchison, and Prodrive have since been driving the materials and technology development in alignment with customer needs. Apart from industrial markets, Supernova will also concentrate on the Defense and Space sectors, aiming to develop industry-specific materials that other existing AM technologies cannot process.

The company will also leverage the Technology Adoption Program to develop applications in key vertical markets. This initiative aims to influence both materials development and the industrialization of hardware systems, ultimately forming a production-ready ecosystem. Beta deployments in customer sites are expected during this year. In line with these goals, the company will be expanding its R&D teams in both materials and product (or hardware and software), as well as its business departments, a press release reads.

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