10 People Who Are Working to Change the World
10. Chuck Hull
Chuck Hull is the co-founder, executive vice president and chief technology officer of 3D Systems. He is the inventor of the solid imaging process known as stereolithography (3D Printing), the first commercial rapid prototyping technology, and the STL file format. Chuck Hull is named on more than 60 U.S. patents as well as other patents around the world in the fields of ion optics and rapid prototyping. He was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2014.
Hull started commercial rapid prototyping when he founded 3D Systems in Valencia, California. He realized that his concept was not limited to liquids and therefore gave it the generic name “stereolithography” (3D printing), 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’s additive manufacturing technologies such as data preparation via triangulated models (STL file format) and slicing, and exposure strategies such as alternating hatch directions.
