# Open-Source Volumetric 3D Printers UC Berkeley’s ‘OpenCAL’ Prints Whole Objects at Once By Adam Harrie | Written with AI assistance | Published 2026-10-21 | Tech Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/open-source-volumetric-3d-printers References: [3dprint](https://3dprint.com/335160/opencal-v2-volumetric-printer-launched)  UC Berkeley, in collaboration with Prusa Research and Formlabs, is opening computed axial lithography to university labs and home users with ‘OpenCAL,’ a build-it-yourself volumetric 3D printer that forms parts all at once rather than stacking layers. The process spins a resin vial under projected light, giving users a layer-free way to create shapes using technology that typically remains in research labs. Using a standard projector, ‘OpenCAL’ printed a replica of Rodin’s ‘The Thinker’ in 90 seconds without support structures. Formlabs makes the resin sold through Prusa Research, while the project’s CAD files and source code are publicly available. A roughly $1,600 parts cost makes volumetric printing a realistic co-creation project for campus labs and home builders rather than a closed specialty machine. Public files and ready-made resin widen access to a fast process that also extends to optics and bioprinting work. Image Credit: OpenCAL / UC Berkeley ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 8.9/10 - Popularity: 89% | Activity: 78% | Freshness: 100% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Tech](https://www.trendhunter.com/tech) > [Gadgets](https://www.trendhunter.com/gadgets) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Open-source Fabrication:** Public CAD files and shared source code create pathways for lower-cost hardware ecosystems that let researchers, makers, and small firms experiment beyond proprietary manufacturing platforms. - **Volumetric 3D Printing:** Layer-free object creation introduces faster prototyping possibilities for complex geometries, delicate structures, and support-free forms that conventional additive manufacturing struggles to produce efficiently. - **Desktop Lab Equipment:** Affordable build-it-yourself research tools blur the line between institutional labs and home workspaces, expanding access to advanced experimentation in optics, materials, and bioprinting. ### Where This Applies - **Additive Manufacturing:** Whole-object printing can reshape rapid prototyping and short-run production by reducing print times, support material needs, and design constraints tied to layer-based systems. - **Biotechnology:** Accessible volumetric printing platforms provide new potential for tissue-like structures and biofabrication research outside highly specialized facilities. - **Education Technology:** University labs and maker programs gain hands-on access to advanced fabrication systems that support interdisciplinary learning across engineering, design, and life sciences. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Open-Source Inkjet Printers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-open-printer.md) - [Full-Color 3D Printers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/heygears-g1x.md) - [Open-Source Film Cameras](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/infidex-176-v.md) - [Dual-Vat Resin Printers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/anycubic-photon-p1.md) - [Compact Metal 3D Printers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/Scrap-Labs.md) - [Modular Concrete Printer Systems](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcrete.md) - [Volumetric Bioprinting](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/Volumetric-bioprinting.md) - [Closed-Loop 3D Printing Polymers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/Closed-loop-3D-printing-polymers.md) - [High-Resolution Resin Printers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/magpro.md)