03-09-1083: Chuck Hull created the world's first 3D-printed part using a process later called stereolithography (SLA)
Hull filed a patent for his technology on August 8, 1984
On March 9, 1983, Charles (Chuck) Hull, an American engineer and inventor, created the first-ever 3D-printed object using a process he later named stereolithography (SLA). Hull developed this technology while experimenting with ultraviolet light to cure materials, which inspired him to use plastics for rapid prototyping. The first 3D-printed object was an eyewash cup.
At the time, Hull was working as Vice President of Engineering at UVP, Inc., where he was developing new methods for coating tabletops with resin to protect them from wear. While searching for UV-curable resins, he came up with the idea of building three-dimensional objects by curing successive layers of material with ultraviolet light.
The first printed object was small, but it served as proof of concept that layer-by-layer fabrication using liquid photopolymer cured by UV light was possible. Hull filed a patent for his technology on August 8, 1984, which is considered the official beginning of 3D printing and additive manufacturing.
Patent US4575330 A was officially granted on March 11, 1986.
At the time, traditional manufacturing methods, such as injection molding, were time-consuming and expensive, often requiring several months to produce a single mold. Stereolithography reduced this process to just a few hours.
In 1986, Hull founded 3D Systems to commercialize his technology. A year later, in 1987, the company introduced the first-ever 3D printer, the SLA-1, primarily used for prototyping. The automotive industry was one of the first sectors to recognize its potential, using the technology for rapid prototyping applications.
As Hull once admitted, he never expected 3D printing to become so widespread, initially viewing it as a tool for rapid prototyping. Today, he is widely regarded as a pioneering inventor.
His list of accolades is impressive: 2014 winner of the European Inventor Award, 2023 recipient of the National Medal of Technology and Innovation awarded by President Joe Biden, and most recently, election to the National Academy of Engineering for his invention of stereolithography in February 2025.
Source: www.3dsystems.com
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