Axtra3D: a unified, traceable workflow for polymer AM

Founded just five years ago, North Carolina-based Axtra3D has progressed rapidly in its mission of becoming a global, production-focused additive manufacturing company. Not only has Axtra3D developed and brought to market its Hybrid PhotoSynthesis (HPS) technology, which combines the strengths of SLA and DLP, it has created a unified, integrated workflow for industrial 3D printing.

This ecosystem, completed in November 2025, comprises software tools, material handling, 3D printing, washing, curing, and data intelligence to unlock seamless end-to-end production and print quality validation. As we’ll see in more detail, each of these components comes together to create something that is greater than its parts, enabling users to achieve repeatable, high-quality polymer production.

No more fragmentation

Across the AM sector, workflow integration is a key priority and technology suppliers are working to solve fragmentation that occurs between the various 3D printing steps. At Axtra3D, the company has taken a holistic approach, thinking not of optimizing individual systems within a workflow, but rather conceiving of the process as a whole. 

As the company says: “Separating steps with different tools is, by nature, going to cause gaps; things that aren’t designed to work together rarely do without friction. What we have created is a unified, digitally connected workflow where each stage is validated as one process, shifting the focus from hardware-centric thinking to process-centric manufacturing.”

In more specific terms, each print job progresses through the production chain as a single data model. This means that everything, including slicing settings, material profiles, exposure parameters, wash recipes, and cure cycles, is embedded for each print job. “This enables truly closed-loop manufacturing where settings are inherited, not guessed, and are able to be verified and improved over time,” Axtra3D adds. 

Smart print preparation

The first stage in this integrated workflow is driven by Axtra3D’s Volume software, an intelligent build preparation software that covers everything from 3D model import to print validation. As part of its build preparation capabilities, Volume offers a fully integrated HPS slicer equipped with automatic orientation and intelligent support generation.

It also includes a range of management tools that enable users to create and save print files and monitor 3D printer networks. For ease of use, Volume gives users access to a library of built-in material-specific print profiles that have validated exposure and cure settings as well as layer simulation and build time estimates. Additionally, based on the build parameters and materials, the software also creates washing, drying and post curing cycles, removing all the variability from the process. This not only saves users time when switching between different build materials, but also ensures that parts are printed reliably under the optimal conditions. 

Another key role of Volume software is to connect Axtra3D’s HPS-based Lumia.X1 3D printer with its Axtra.Insight data intelligence system for closed-loop process validation (more on this below!). For users that rely on external software programs, Axtra3D Volume can also be integrated with third-party software tools. 

Seamless material handling

The next step in Axtra.3D’s integrated workflow is Axtra.HS, a material handling system that covers resin management tasks while maximizing material usage and process cleanliness. Among the system’s capabilities is resin removal from the print vat and material filtering. The system is also designed to handle and clean Axtra.VAT and maintain the printer’s TruLayer Membranes, key to extending resin and vat life. 

This material handling system, described by the company as integral in its workflow, is intentionally compact, designed for desktop use and for easy integration into lab and factory settings.

3D printing with the Lumia.X1

Foundational to the Axtra.3D workflow is its Lumia.X1 3D printer. The system, based on HPS technology, integrates both SLA and DLP to achieve high-resolution parts fast. The system, first launched in 2022, is also distinguished by the company’s TruLayer technology, which accelerates the printing process through rapid detachment of the print layer from the vat membrane. Not only that, TruLayer Technology promotes superior surface finishes even with highly viscous resins. Other Lumia.X1 features include a dual z-axis, real-time monitoring, automated recalibration, and a user-friendly interface.

“Parts produced on the Lumia.X1 don’t have to make compromises between scale, speed, or accuracy, because it combines the best of DLP and SLA,” Axtra3D explains. “It utilizes the speed of DLP, flashing the layer with the full image, while simultaneously SLA takes care of the edges, giving the layer a crisp border. Print isotropic, production-grade parts at any scale, any volume, the Lumia.X1 is designed to handle it all.”

The printer itself has a build volume of 249 x 140 x 495 mm and a resolution as fine as 45 microns. In terms of materials, Axtra3D’s system is open and compatible with 405 nm resins. Presently, Axtra3D does offer a range of validated resins, including industrial resins from Henkel’s Loctite series, Forward AM’s Ultracur3D brand, Arkema, 3D Systems, NextDent, Pro3Dure, Keystone and a few other resin providers. The system also stands out for its compatibility with Axtra3D’s own TrueSil-X50, a 100% pure silicone material. 

Washing and curing

Up until recently, Axtra3D offered its Lumia.X1 printer as a standalone solution, compatible with external post-processing hardware. Last November, however, the company took a major step in its workflow integration with the launch of Axtra.Wash and Axtra.Cure.

Axtra.Wash is an automated washing station for 3D printed parts as well as printer components like platforms and vats. For users, this essential post-processing step begins with a dual-stage wash cycle that uses a solvent of the user’s choice and optimized agitation and filtration to ensure that every part surface and feature is cleaned. Up to three different solvents can be stored in the system at once, facilitating switches between different print materials. For safety and sustainability, these solvents are stored in separate tanks and are managed through a closed-loop system. 

Thanks to the integration with Axtra3D’s Volume software, the Axtra.Wash knows exactly what solvent to use and how long to clean parts based on the print job data. (Each resin in the software’s library has a validated wash profile for optimal results.) Once parts are clean and subsequently dried, the system washes itself in preparation for the next batch.

Cleaned parts can then be placed in Axtra.Cure, a multi-functional post-processing machine that combines UV and thermal curing. The system features an upper chamber in which users can cure parts in UV light. This capability comes with triple independent frequencies (355, 385, 405 nm) and users can adjust parameters like power, time, and temperature (up to 60°C). This capability is certified using dual UV photosensors and is compatible with all Axtra3D resins. 

The system’s bottom chamber, for its part, is equipped with thermal heating that can reach up to 250°C, enabling post-processing for parts that require additional curing. This chamber makes it easy for users to manage ramp-up, ramp-down, and stationary cycles, and can be used at the same time or independently from the UV curing chamber. 

While the Axtra.Wash and Axtra.Cure post-processing solutions are engineered for Axtra3D’s workflow, they are also compatible with third-party systems. 

End-to-end data intelligence

Also launched in November alongside the post-processing systems was Axtra3D’s data intelligence system Axtra.Insight. This system underpins the entire process and leverages over 155 on-board sensors to capture real-time workflow data. This data includes machine and TruLayer Technology status, HPS power temperatures, print layer data, Z-axis encoder readings, and much much more. 

With data from across the production chain, Axtra.Insight not only provides in-depth documentation for each build, it also learns and makes process improvements. This intelligent monitoring approach is highly valuable, whether you are a small manufacturer with a limited number of 3D printers or a parts manufacturer with fleets across multiple locations. 

Specifically, Axtra.Insight creates a foundation for consistency and traceability that is essential for scaling AM. Notable functions included in the data intelligence system are predictive maintenance for hardware systems, performance tracking, fleet management, and data integration with MES and quality management systems.   

Axtra3D says of this smart solution: “By making photopolymer printing auditable and qualifiable, it builds trust in outcomes and enables regulation, automation, multi-site consistency, and scalable production environments, shifting this type of additive manufacturing from experimental into reliable industrial manufacturing. This reduces variability, scraps, and the need for requalification, and enables consistency and accuracy across multiple printers and locations on a build platform.”

The future is integrated

The future is in moving applications into fully dialed solutions. When one pictures an industrial workflow for resin 3D printing, it’s difficult to justify a vision comprising disparate hardware and software solutions, each with a manual set-up and unique process. What Axtra.3D has brought to the table is far more in line with end user needs, not only linking but fully integrating the various production steps into an intelligently monitored and managed workflow. 

By stitching together material handling, 3D printing, washing, and curing with advanced print preparation and data intelligence solutions, Axtra.3D has set the stage for its users to achieve repeatable, scalable, and traceable production. This, it believes, is imperative in driving adoption of its technology—and 3D printing more broadly—in industries like dental, medical, tooling, and industry.

This article first appeared in the VoxelMatters Polymer AM Focus 2026 eBook.