Projection based light-directed electrophoretic deposition for additive manufacturing

Electrophoretic deposition (EPD) is a widely used industrial coating technique for depositing polymer, ceramic, and metal thin films. Recently, there has been interested in using EPD for additive manufacturing using reconfigurable electrodes. Here, we report the first projector-based light-directed electrophoretic deposition (EPD) system that uses projected digital masks to dynamically control the electric field, eliminating the need for physical photomasks. We demonstrate a resolution limit of 10 μm for the deposited feature, which corresponds to the limits of the optical system. Furthermore, the first 3D overhanging structure made with EPD is presented, which points to the ability to create architected cellular materials. These improvements open the possibility for EPD to be a true 3D additive manufacturing technique.