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Chuck Hull | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1939-05-12)May 12, 1939 (age 85) |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | STL file format,SLA 3D printer |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Engineering |
Chuck Hull (Charles W. Hull; born May 12, 1939) is an Americaninventor who is the co-founder, executive vice president andchief technology officer for regenerative medicine[1] of3D Systems.[2][3] He is one of the inventors of theSLA 3D printer, the first commercialrapid prototyping technology, and the widely usedSTL file format. He is named on more than 60U.S. patents as well as other patents around the world in the fields ofion optics andrapid prototyping. He was inducted into theNational Inventors Hall of Fame in 2014[4] and in 2017 was one of the first inductees into the TCT Hall of Fame.[5] Hull was elected to theNational Academy of Engineering in February of 2025.[6]
Chuck Hull was born on May 12, 1939, inClifton,Colorado, the son of Lester and Esther Hull. His early life was spent in Clifton andGateway, Colorado. He graduated fromCentral High School inGrand Junction, Colorado. He received a Bachelor of Science in engineering physics from theUniversity of Colorado in 1961.[7] He is also a distinguished alumnus of Colorado Mesa University.[8]
Hull first came up with the idea in 1983 when he was using UV light to harden tabletop coatings.[9] But on July 16, 1984, Alain Le Méhauté, Olivier de Witte and Jean Claude André filed their patent for the stereolithography process.[10] It was three weeks before Hull filed his own patent for stereolithography. The application of French inventors were abandoned by the French General Electric Company (now Alcatel-Alsthom) and CILAS (The Laser Consortium).[11] The claimed reason was "for lack of business perspective".[12] Hull coined the term "stereolithography" in hisU.S. patent 4,575,330 entitled "Apparatus for Production of Three-Dimensional Objects by Stereolithography" issued on March 11, 1986.[13] He defined stereolithography as a method and apparatus for making solid objects by successively "printing" thin layers of the ultraviolet curable material one on top of the other. In Hull's patent, a concentrated beam of ultraviolet light is focused onto the surface of a vat filled with liquidphotopolymer. The light beam, moving under computer control, draws each layer of the object onto the surface of the liquid. Wherever the beam strikes the surface, the photopolymer polymerizes/crosslinks and changes to a solid. An advancedCAD/CAM/CAE software mathematically slices the computer model of the object into a large number of thin layers. The process then builds the object layer by layer starting with the bottom layer, on an elevator that is lowered slightly after solidification of each layer.[14]
In 1986, commercialrapid prototyping was started by Hull when he founded 3D Systems inValencia, California.[15] He realized that his concept was not limited to liquids and therefore gave it the generic name "stereolithography" (3D printing),[16] and filed broad patent claims covering any "material capable of solidification" or "material capable of altering its physical state".
Hull built up a patent portfolio covering many fundamental aspects of today'sadditive manufacturing technologies such as data preparation via triangulated models (STL file format) and slicing, and exposure strategies such as alternating hatch directions.[17]
The salary for his role as 3D Systems CTO was $307,500 in 2011.[18]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)The Progress Medal is given to Charles (Chuck) Hull, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of 3D Systems in recognition of his invention of stereolithography, the first commercial 3D printing technology.