RLP Prints Silicone Parts in a Gel Bath, No Supports Needed

RLP, the MIT spinoff that calls its process Gravity Free Manufacturing, started shipping its first commercial printer in 2026. The machine, called Levity, prints silicone and elastomer parts inside a tank of reusable hydrogel. Because the gel supports the material as it extrudes, there are no support structures to remove and no curing ovens to run.

The company was founded by Schendy Kernizan, who spent years as a researcher before leaving academia to commercialize the technology. RLP spent several years operating as a service bureau, printing prosthetic liners, gaskets, and design prototypes for clients in healthcare, automotive, and aerospace. That work shaped the hardware. Levity is built for both prototyping and short-run production, not just lab experiments.

Build volume is 50 x 50 x 50 cm. The printer uses platinum-cured silicone ranging from Shore 00-50 to 50A. After a print finishes, the part gets a water rinse and that is essentially it. No sanding, no chemical baths, no long cure cycles. The gel itself is reclaimed and reused, which cuts material waste compared to traditional support generation.

The medical applications are the clearest near-term use case. RLP already produces custom silicone prosthetic liners through its service arm. The ability to print patient-specific shapes without tooling or minimum orders fits the point-of-care model that hospitals and orthotics shops are chasing. The company also mentions automotive gaskets, aerospace seals, and consumer products as target markets.

Kernizan appeared on the 3DPOD podcast this week to discuss the transition from research project to shipping product. He said the company is taking orders for 2026 delivery and has early adopters in place. A European distribution partnership with Amecos is meant to speed the push into medical and industrial accounts overseas.

There are limits, of course. The build volume is smaller than most FDM machines. The material palette is restricted to silicone and elastomers. You cannot print rigid parts on this system. But within its niche, Levity removes the two biggest headaches of silicone manufacturing: expensive, slow tooling and messy post-processing.

The broader signal here is that additive manufacturing is finally splitting into specialized processes instead of trying to be everything. RLP is not competing with fused deposition or powder bed fusion. It is competing with injection molding and cast silicone, where lead times and minimum orders make small batches expensive. If the machine delivers on its speed claims, that is a real gap to fill.