Storyline 3D printing shapes new era of instant manufacturing in China In east China's Suzhou City, a high-tech 3D printing company is helping revolutionize manufacturing with the use of photopolymerization-based 3D printing. The technique uses a tank of liquid resin that's exposed to wavelengths of ultraviolet light. The light makes the liquid's molecules bind together into a solid state, resulting in a more precise and faster process than traditional layer by layer 3D printing. The firm PollyPolymer has been perfecting the technique and is using it to create things like elastomer artificial muscles for robots. Wang Wenbin, PollyPolymer CEO: "(This material) can provide shock absorption and protection. Additionally, due to its hollowed-out lattice structure, it can dissipate heat. Of course, another advantage is its lightweight nature, as it is filled with many lattices within the same structure." More importantly, these materials can be pre-programmed and engineered to meet specific structural, elastic and mechanical performance requirements, enabling on-demand and customized manufacturing across multiple industries. Wang Wenbin, PollyPolymer CEO: "We need very precise control because the light reaction can cause many falsifications such as distortion, leading to a decrease in accuracy. Therefore, we have designed quite a lot of algorithmic compensations in this process. Each printer has a force sensing parameter, which you can think of as a scale that knows the weight in every gram and makes corrections accordingly. Depending on the required scenario, for instance, our highest precision can now reach 2.8 microns." According to recent data from Verified Market Reports, the global Vat Photopolymerization 3D Printer Market is expected to be valued at 3.5 billion U.S. dollars by the year 2033, up from 1.2 billion last year. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]