Soundwave droplet technology could reshape printing

Known as ‘sonolithography’, the technology is the work of scientists at the Universities of Bath and Bristol. It uses commercially available transducers and electronics in combination with computer algorithms to manipulate ultrasonic acoustic fields, laying down precise and repeatable patterns of microscopic aerosol droplets on a substrate.

Soundwaves assist additive manufacturing with viscous liquids

“The power of ultrasound has already been shown to levitate small particles,” said Professor Mike Fraser from Bath’s Department of Computer Science.

“We are excited to have hugely expanded the range of applications by patterning dense clouds of material in air at scale and being able to algorithmically control how the material settles into shapes.”

In a paper published in Advanced Materials Technologies, the researchers outline how the technique could be adapted for a variety of different printing technologies. As the soundwave technology manipulates particles in mid-air without ‘physical’ contact, sonolithography is ideally suited to biofabrication, where tissue and cells are printed for advanced medical treatments.