Supernova, the developer of Viscous Lithography Manufacturing (VLM) releases four Viscogel materials.
With an emphasis on transportation-grade homologations and standards, the new portfolio consists of two material families tailored to address distinct industrial challenges: elastomers and rigid polymers.
The elastomeric grades are engineered for precision sealing systems, gaskets, and cable grommets. They offer exceptional durability, chemical resistance, and dimensional stability under extreme temperatures and mechanical stress. The rigid grades target electrical connectors, delivering a combination of stiffness, impact resistance, and flame retardancy.
Validation through the Beta Program
All four Viscogel materials are available at Supernova’s Beta Program. There, industry players in the transportation and industrial sectors are testing them against stringent homologation standards. According to Supernova, customer validation is confirming that the Viscogels are a good alternative to molded plastics in real-world applications with high qualification standards.
“This is the first time in Additive Manufacturing where materials can meet—and in some cases exceed—the requirements of molded plastics in real transportation-grade applications,” said Roger Antúnez, Founder and CEO of Supernova. “By focusing on connectors and sealing systems, we are proving that Viscogels are ready to serve the most demanding industrial customers.”
Production of dual-material parts, without tooling
Supernova’s Viscous Lithography Manufacturing (VLM) enables dual-material parts to be produced in a single shot. It replaces traditional 2K molding techniques like overmolding or transfer molding, which are more complex and require expensive tooling.
Fluid-sealing components often feature complex internal geometries needed to meet strict insulation or chemical-resistance requirements. These shapes make it impossible to attach rigid elements externally. Traditionally, they therefore require integration into a single part using 2K molding. This process requires tooling costing over $250,000.
For short and mid production runs (under ~200,000 parts), these fixed tooling costs are extremely difficult to amortize, making conventional 2K molding economically unfeasible. With Viscogels, these parts can be produced directly, reducing cost-per-part by more than 50% while retaining the production agility and flexibility of additive manufacturing.
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