#3DStartup: FUGO Precision 3D Develops Centrifugal AM System that Prints, Washes, and Cures In the Same Chamber

Imagine a 3D printer that handles the entire lifecycle of a part – from liquid resin to a fully cured product – without human intervention. That is the promise of FUGO Precision 3D. Based in California, FUGO has developed a fundamental advancement in the field: a centrifugal vat-photopolymerization system that replaces the multi-step workflows of the past. By spinning the build chamber at 3,000 RPM, the machine uses centrifugal force to ensure perfectly even resin distribution and a finish free of visible layer lines. This streamlined approach offers a massive build volume and superior surface quality, all while foregoing the need for messy manual labor. To learn how this all-in-one vessel is shrinking production times, we spoke with Co-Founder and CEO Alexander Meseonznik.

3DN: Could you introduce yourself and your connection to 3D printing?

I’m Alexander Meseonznik, Co-Founder and CEO of FUGO Precision 3D. Over the past thirty years, I’ve built my career around identifying promising ventures and helping them scale. I’ve been fortunate to co-found and guide five companies through successful exits across multiple industries, developing expertise in the operational and strategic systems that turn early-stage concepts into thriving businesses.

My path to 3D printing began when I was introduced to Alexandr “Sasha” Shkolnik, our Chief Technology Officer. Sasha is an inventor with over three decades of experience in additive manufacturing and process engineering. When we first met, Sasha shared his vision for a completely novel approach to additive manufacturing that nobody else had achieved. He had the technical brilliance and the concept, but needed a partner who could help transform that idea into a real company. I recognized the extraordinary potential immediately and committed to making his vision a reality.

From there, I built the entire team from the ground up, assembling leadership across sales, finance, operations, and R&D. Together with Sasha, we developed the technology from concept to a finished product that is now ready for commercial release.

3DN: What motivated the creation of FUGO 3D, and what problem were you aiming to solve when the company was founded?

The additive manufacturing industry has made remarkable progress in print quality and speed over the years. But here’s what frustrated Sasha: the overall production workflow remained fundamentally inefficient. Facilities everywhere were juggling multiple machines, shuffling parts between printers and washing stations and curing chambers, dedicating technician hours to tasks that added cost without adding value.

Sasha wasn’t interested in making incremental improvements to existing systems. He wanted to rethink the entire process from first principles. His question was simple but ambitious: what if we could consolidate everything into one automated system and eliminate manual post-processing entirely?

That ambition led to our centrifugal approach. Rather than building parts in horizontal layers like every other resin printer, we use centrifugal force to create artificial gravity, allowing parts to form while fully submerged in material that acts as its own support structure. This minimizes visible layer lines and allows us to integrate washing, drying, and curing into the same machine cycle. We didn’t set out to build a better 3D printer. We set out to create an entirely new manufacturing category.

3DN: Could you introduce us to the centrifugal 3D printing process and how the FUGO 3D ecosystem works?

The process starts with our F3D Studio software. Operators upload their design files, and the software handles intelligent part arrangement and support generation. Build parameters can be configured to balance strength, surface finish, and production speed based on what each application requires.

Once the build cycle starts, the magic of centrifugal force takes over. Instead of curing thin horizontal slices one at a time, our system forms parts as concentric rings while they remain submerged in material. The centrifugal rotation generates artificial gravity that supports the forming geometry, which means the material itself acts as the support structure. This produces surfaces without the stair-stepping effect you see in traditional 3D printing, and we need significantly fewer mechanical supports than conventional approaches.

What happens next is where we truly differentiate ourselves. After printing completes, the same machine automatically washes excess resin from the parts, removes residual solvent through centrifugal drying, and then cures them to final hardness. An operator loads the build platform, walks away, and returns to finished parts ready for use. No transferring between stations, no timing cure cycles, no manual handling.

The ecosystem extends beyond the machine itself. F3D Homebase provides centralized monitoring for facilities running multiple units, tracking production history, material consumption, and equipment status in real time. For high-volume operations, this visibility is essential for maintaining consistent output.

3DN: Is there any learning curve when it comes to using this machine because of the centrifugal force? How does it differ from other resin-based 3D printing processes, and what are the benefits?

We designed the Model A to be straightforward for anyone familiar with additive manufacturing. The F3D Studio software manages the complexity of centrifugal dynamics behind the scenes. Operators don’t need physics degrees; they need to know their parts and their production requirements. The interface handles the rest.

What truly differentiates our technology is that parts are printed with the support of gravitational forces while being fully submerged in the material, which acts as its own support structure. But the main advantage is that we are not using any mechanical means to apply new layers. We create artificial gravity through centrifugal forces, generating up to 2000 G’s of force compared to the 1G we experience on Earth. This allows us to create extremely thin and accurate layers that simply aren’t achievable with conventional mechanical approaches.

The concentric formation method produces superior surface quality with minimal visible stepping. We achieve dimensional repeatability up to 30 microns, consistently. Our build envelope accommodates larger production runs, and throughput reaches levels that would require multiple traditional machines to match. For dental laboratories or medical device manufacturers where margins matter, this translates directly to better economics.

3DN: The F3D Studio includes ‘integrated capillary generation.’ Could you explain what this feature is and why it is necessary for producing ‘mission-critical parts’?

When producing precision components for medical, dental, or aerospace applications, internal geometry matters as much as external accuracy. Capillary generation is a software capability that automatically creates optimized internal channels and drainage pathways within parts.

The capillary system allows us to deal with one of the biggest problems in SLA printing: so-called “trapped volumes.” These are areas in a part which have restricted material access. On a conventional printer, they have a blade that goes back and forth filling it in. Our printer does not have any mechanical parts for the print.

What we do instead is create capillary holes that are extremely small, around 20 microns in size. In a regular printer, the material would never go through such a small opening. But at 2000 G’s, the material has no problems passing through such a small space. After the material passes through the capillary, the laser closes it, so there is nothing the operator needs to do after the cycle is complete.

Beyond drainage, intelligent internal structures allow weight optimization without compromising mechanical performance. A hearing aid shell needs to be light enough for all-day comfort. An aerospace fixture needs to minimize mass while maintaining rigidity. The capillary generation tools let us achieve both objectives systematically.

For applications where precision is non-negotiable, whether that’s a surgical guide that determines implant placement or a component destined for a defense system, this level of control over internal architecture is essential. We built it into our workflow because the industries we serve cannot afford preventable quality issues.

3DN: How does the ‘Multi-Material Capability’ function in practice – are you able to print single-part assemblies with multiple materials bonded together, or is it primarily for printing separate parts of different materials in one run?

Our system accommodates both scenarios, which provides considerable flexibility for different production needs. The Model A includes a dual reservoir configuration that keeps two different resins loaded and ready simultaneously.

The multi-material print works as follows: first, the printer builds the lower part of the model that is supposed to be made of Material A. After all features that require Material A are printed, the printing process stops, and the unused Material A is pumped out of the printing chamber back into the material supply. The already printed models are then washed thoroughly, and this happens automatically. After the washing is done, the printing process resumes as Material B starts to fill the drum. When it reaches the lowest level where Material B printing starts, the laser system engages in printing. This provides excellent adhesion between the materials. The multi-material part is then washed, dried, and cured within the same automated cycle for a finished product.

We can also create single parts that incorporate multiple materials with bonded interfaces. This opens up applications in jewelry, where different regions might require different optical properties, or in dental appliances where varying stiffness across a single component improves clinical outcomes.

When production needs extend beyond what’s in the dual reservoir, changing to different resins takes only fifteen to twenty-five minutes for a complete purge cycle. The system is adaptable with all photopolymer materials on the market, giving manufacturers the freedom to select what works best for their applications.

3DN: What have been some of the key challenges or lessons learned in building and operating this ecosystem model?

When you introduce something genuinely novel, skepticism is inevitable. Industry professionals have seen plenty of overpromises in additive manufacturing. Telling them we’ve eliminated layer lines and automated all post-processing invites raised eyebrows. We learned early that explaining isn’t enough; demonstration is essential. That’s why our upcoming appearance at the dental industry’s premier trade event will feature live production runs. Visitors will watch complete cycles from start to finish and see exactly what the technology delivers.

The engineering challenges were substantial. Achieving the dimensional consistency required for medical and dental applications demands precision in every subsystem. Our team, which brings decades of collective experience in additive manufacturing, spent years refining the mechanics, the process controls, and the software algorithms. There were no shortcuts.

Perhaps the biggest lesson is that the transition from working prototype to commercial product requires as much attention to business infrastructure as to technology. Sales capabilities, financial systems, service operations, supply chain relationships: these elements determine whether an innovation reaches the market or stalls in development. Building that infrastructure has been my primary focus since joining the company.

3DN: Looking ahead, what are FUGO 3D’s main priorities for the future?

Our near-term focus is getting our technology into the hands of production partners. After debuting the system at LMT Lab Day in Chicago this past February, we are now rolling out beta partner machines later this year. Dental laboratories and manufacturing facilities will be able to assess how the technology performs in their actual production environment.

Beyond dental, we see significant opportunities in hearing health, where custom ear pieces demand the same precision and throughput advantages. Aerospace and defense applications value our ability to produce tooling, fixtures, and components with minimal labor. Medical device manufacturers need the consistency and documentation capabilities our platform provides. Each of these verticals represents substantial market potential.

Looking further ahead, our engineering team continues advancing the platform. We hold multiple patents with additional applications in progress. The roadmap includes expanded build capacity, broader material compatibility, and enhanced fleet management capabilities. Our goal is to maintain technological leadership while scaling production to meet demand across global markets.

3DN: Any last words for our readers?

Additive manufacturing has long promised to transform production, but fragmented workflows and labor-intensive post-processing have limited that potential. We built FUGO to finally deliver on the promise: true production-ready parts from a single automated system. For more information visit our website at www.fugo3d.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

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*All Photo Credits: FUGO Precision 3D