Reliability of 3D-printed dynamic scanners

Abstract

3D-printed dynamic structures have arisen as a lower cost and easier to fabricate alternative to miniaturized sensor and actuator technologies. Here, we investigate the reliability of a selected 3D-printed laser scanner, which was initially designed for miniaturized confocal imaging, having 1 x 1 cm2 footprint. The scan-line, 1st resonant frequency and quality factor of 3 devices were monitored for 100,000,000 (hundred million) cycles, and an average deviation of <6% was observed for all three parameters under investigation, for the devices under test. We conclude that 3D printed dynamic structures are promising candidates for a variety of applications, including optomedical imaging applications that demand disposable and low-cost scanning technologies.