An open-source platform enabling programmable multi-material 3D design, potentially improving electronics, robotics, medical modelling, and advanced manufacturing workflows.
Engineers designing complex multi-material components may soon face fewer limitations, as researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder have developed OpenVCAD, an open-source software tool intended to simplify and accelerate multi-material 3D printing workflows. The system allows users to define not only a component’s shape but also the distribution of different materials throughout the object.
Traditional computer-aided design (CAD) systems primarily define objects by their surface boundaries and typically assume that everything inside those boundaries is a single material. This poses challenges for applications that require gradual transitions between materials, such as flexible and rigid sections within a single component. OpenVCAD addresses this by introducing a programmable design framework that allows engineers to create spatially varying material structures more efficiently.
Developed in the Matter Assembly Computation Lab at CU Boulder, the software uses code and mathematical functions to assign material properties across a 3D structure. Instead of repeatedly redesigning components for each modification, users can adjust specific variables and have the entire design automatically updated. Researchers say this approach can significantly reduce engineering overhead and enable more advanced design possibilities.
The technology has implications for electronics and adjacent industries where components increasingly require mixed material properties. Multi-material electronics structures, flexible robotic elements, impact-resistant lattice designs, and customised medical models are among the potential applications highlighted by the researchers. OpenVCAD can also assign specific mechanical properties to selected regions of structures, enabling more precise design control.
The research team has demonstrated compatibility with multiple 3D printer types, including systems capable of printing up to five materials simultaneously. The software package also includes Python integration, allowing developers and researchers to incorporate external libraries and simulation tools into design workflows.
As additive manufacturing moves toward increasingly complex structures, OpenVCAD aims to shift multi-material design from specialised, code-heavy processes to a more accessible, scalable engineering model.
