Black-light printing for the fuel cell set

A company out of California has perfected a method of “printing” mechanical components, such that hundreds of ultra-thin layers of ceramics, metals, glasses, alloys, polymers, and conductive organics make a fuel cell or other PC component. As each layer is piled on top of the next, a special curing process involving company-secret fluids takes place, melding the layers into shape.

It’s not just a handful of layers, either. The components that have already been produced have hundreds of layers and also have fully integrated moving parts. The fluids seal the layers together, so even hinges can function without losing cohesion.

Using industrial printers that require no expensive molds or dies, the company, EoPlex Technologies of South San Francisco, can make upwards of a thousand components a year right now. The startup hopes to have funding in place to achieve millions of units of production in the coming years.