UC Berkeley Releases Open-Source Volumetric 3D Printer
The $1,600 system allows hobbyists to build objects simultaneously rather than layer by layer.
Updated on Oct. 23, 2026 in Materials Science
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Researchers at UC Berkeley have released an open-source 3D printing technology, the OpenCAL printer, which builds objects simultaneously rather than layer by layer. The project, which became available in August 2026, allows users to print onto preexisting solid objects.
Why it matters
By providing a public build guide and open-source software, the team aims to make high-speed volumetric printing accessible to hobbyists and research labs for iterative development. This accessibility allows for community-driven improvements that proprietary systems currently limit.
The OpenCAL printer utilizes a rotating vial of resin to construct objects, costing approximately $1,600 in materials. Unlike conventional fused deposition modeling that deposits material in discrete layers, this system forms structures simultaneously.
The players
UC Berkeley
A public research university known for pioneering engineering research and the development of open-source hardware architectures.
The details
The printer operates by projecting a specific sequence of light images from multiple angles through a rotating vial of liquid resin. This light initiates polymerization, the process of linking small molecules into a solid plastic, to build the entire object at once. The system supports overprinting, a process where a researcher immerses a preexisting solid object into the printing volume and prints new geometry directly onto it.
Timeline
August 2026: The latest version of the OpenCAL printer became available to the public.
October 7, 2026: Commercial release of the resin required for the printer.
The Tech Race
The OpenCAL project follows the open-source hardware dissemination pattern established by the RepRap project. The release mirrors those goals by shifting sophisticated additive manufacturing from industrial labs to hobbyists and independent researchers.
Hobbyists and research labs in Berkeley and beyond can now construct the printer for $1,600 using the provided build guides. Users will need to acquire the specialized resin, which reached commercial availability on October 7, 2026, to begin operations.
The takeaway
The move to open-source volumetric printing creates a new benchmark for accessible, high-speed additive manufacturing. Interested builders should monitor the open-source repository for software updates and community-contributed structural designs.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest innovations in Materials Science.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Daily Cal | Berkeley news.
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