It’s only a prototype, but, hey–it’s fast.

VIDEO 1 min. 27 sec. Not to be missed, this new technology promises to speed up 3D printing.

Here’s how the “continuous liquid interface” could change the world.

The maker of this continuous liquid interface process, Carbon3D, explains why the company is determined to perfect the process.

3D printing in general is exciting for one big reason: it lets you customize objects or introduce new product designs simply by altering software (that is, the data the printer uses to make the object), rather than having to retrofit the molds or other hardware used to make the actual object.

For this reason, lots of people have speculated that 3D printing could revolutionize manufacturing, or lead to people printing their own goods at home instead of buying them at stores. But so far, it’s mostly been a niche process, used for prototypes, models, and other individually crafted items.

One of the reasons is that it’s pretty slow. Conventional 3D printers usually take several hours to print an object — because with most printing methods, they need to individually treat each new layer of material after it’s put down so that the next layer can be put down on top of it.

“the new method works in minutes rather than hours”

The new method is much faster because it works continuously, instead of in layers, eliminating this step. As a result, it works in minutes rather than hours — 25 to 100 times faster, its creators say, than conventional 3D printing.

The lack of layers also makes the products of this new method stronger. That’s because they’re solid objects, rather than layers of material stacked together.

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