Chuck Hull is an American engineer and inventor who is widely credited as the inventor of 3D printing. He filed the first patent for a 3D printing process in 1986, which he called stereolithography. The process used a laser to harden a liquid resin into a solid object, and it was the first time that a 3D object could be printed directly from a digital file.
In 1983, Hull co-founded 3D Systems, a company that produces and sells 3D printers and related products. He served as the company’s chief technology officer and executive vice president until he retired in 2013.
Hull’s invention of stereolithography and the founding of 3D Systems has been a significant contributor to the development and growth of the 3D printing industry. His work has led to the creation of a wide range of new products and manufacturing processes, and it has helped to make 3D printing more accessible to a wider range of industries and individuals.
Hull has been recognized for his contributions to the field of 3D printing with numerous awards and honors, including being inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2018.
