Danish startup PERFI develops ultra-fast volumetric 3D printing technology

Danish company PERFI Technologies, a finalist in the Formnext Start-up Awards 2025, has unveiled a volumetric 3D printing platform that can produce complex objects in a matter of seconds. The technology is aimed at applications in audiology and dentistry, such as customized ear molds and dental forms.

Unlike conventional layer-based processes, volumetric 3D printing does not use a layer-by-layer structure. Instead, a light-sensitive resin is exposed from several directions simultaneously. The component is thus created volumetrically, i.e., in a single step. Initial research on this technology was conducted at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in 2017. Since then, only a few companies have further developed this technology, including Xolo, Readily3D, and now PERFI Technologies.

PERFI refers to its process as volumetric additive manufacturing (VAM). In this process, a rotating resin container is irradiated with dynamic light patterns. Proprietary software breaks down the digital 3D model into two-dimensional projections that are synchronously irradiated into the resin. Within seconds, the material hardens exactly at the calculated points. The resin used is biocompatible and has been specially validated for medical applications.

Since the component is created without layers or support structures, hardly any post-processing is required. Uncured resin serves as a natural support during printing. PERFI also integrates an automated, solvent-free post-processing unit into its desktop systems that recovers excess material. This closed-loop process architecture reduces material waste and simplifies handling.

According to co-founder Anna Danielak, the technology will initially be used in the field of audiology – for example, for hearing aids, earplugs, and in-ear headphones. PERFI then plans to expand into the dental sector as well as biomedical and consumer goods applications.

The company was founded at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and is supported by the Danish AM Hub. PERFI will present its VAM platform at Formnext 2025 at booth D82 in hall 11.0.