UC Berkeley and Prusa Release OpenCAL, a ~$1,600 DIY Volumetric Printer
UC Berkeley, working with Prusa Research and Formlabs, has released OpenCAL, an open volumetric printer built largely from off-the-shelf parts with public hardware, control code, print software, and resin documentation.
According to 3DPrint.com, UC Berkeley has released OpenCAL, a DIY printer based on Computed Axial Lithography (CAL), with support from Prusa Research and Formlabs. Instead of building successive layers, the system rotates a resin vial while projecting light from multiple angles to solidify a three-dimensional form within the resin.
The reported bill of materials is about $1,600 and assembly takes roughly six hours. Core components include a consumer projector, Raspberry Pi 5, and laser-cut and 3D-printed parts. Tomo software converts STL files into projection data. CAD, control code, assembly documentation, and the resin formulation are public, and the hardware uses the Prusa Open Community License. Compatible resin is listed at $119.99 per liter.
The article highlights a 90-second print of a Rodin Thinker replica and says systems have been installed at MIT, NIST, and Purdue. Build size remains constrained by light delivery and the resin's optical behavior. The lower entry cost could broaden research access, but speed and material performance still need application-specific validation.
Key facts
- The reported parts cost is about $1,600, with approximately six hours of assembly.
- The system is built around a consumer projector and Raspberry Pi 5.
- CAD, control code, Tomo software, assembly documentation, and the resin formulation are public.
- Compatible resin is priced at $119.99 per liter.
Context
OpenCAL brings experimental volumetric printing closer to the cost and tooling level of a typical prototyping lab, while leaving build volume, resin behavior, and repeatability to be validated by each deployment.
