Chuck Hull

Chuck Hull was born on May 12, 1939, in Clifton, Colorado, the son of Lester and Esther Hull. His early life was spent in Clifton and Gateway, Colorado. He graduated from Central High School in Grand Junction, Colorado. He received a Bachelor of Science in engineering physics from the University of Colorado Boulder in 1961. He is also a distinguished alumnus of Colorado Mesa University. ==Beginnings of stereolithography==

Hull first came up with the idea in 1983 when he was using UV light to harden tabletop coatings. But on July 16, 1984, Alain Le Méhauté, Olivier de Witte and Jean Claude André filed their patent for the stereolithography process. ==Commercial rapid prototyping==

In 1986, commercial rapid prototyping was started by Hull 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. The salary for his role as 3D Systems CTO was $307,500 in 2011. ==Recognition==

• 2014 winner of the European Inventor Award in the Non-European countries category awarded by the European Patent Office • 2015 winner of the Industrial Research Institute's IRI Achievement Award for his invention of stereolithography. • 2017 inducted into the TCT Hall of Fame. • 2020 winner of the Royal Photographic Society Progress Medal. • 2023 Recipient of National Medal of Technology and Innovation awarded by President Joe Biden for outstanding contributions to America’s economic, environmental, and social well-being. • 2025 Election to National Academy of Engineering for his invention of stereolithography. ==References==