News and Insights of 3D Printing and Manufacturing
Researchers publishing in nonprofit organization ACS Nano have developed a 3D printable bio-active glass that could serve as an effective bone replacement material. In tests on rabbits, this material supported bone cell growth more effectively than plain glass and showed longer-term growth than a commercially available bone substitute.
Researchers at the University of Michigan and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) have demonstrated how to 3D print tubular structures that block vibrations using their internal geometry. The study, published in Physical Review Applied, builds on decades of theory and computational work to create materials that passively prevent vibrations from traveling through them.
The Atlanta VA Healthcare System (VAHCS) is now the first VA facility to provide advanced 3D printed casts and splints. Using the ActivArmor system, the facility can produce orthopedic devices that are customizable, waterproof, and breathable. These devices support a wide range of services, including Orthopedics, the Emergency Room, Occupational and Physical Therapy, Podiatry, and diabetic clinics.
Amnovis, a contract manufacturer focused on 3D printed medical devices, has marked its fifth anniversary with the delivery of its 100,000th 3D printed implant.
Researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas) have developed a technique enabling dentists to 3D print permanent zirconia crowns and other restorations within hours instead of days.
A new research group at the University of Stuttgart is working on a study that involves 3D printing tissue directly inside the human body.
Scientists in Switzerland have begun developing artificial corneas using 3D printing technology, in a project that could eventually help repair eye damage and restore vision for people affected by corneal disease or injury.
ChoiceSpine, a provider of specialized spine surgery systems, has announced an expansion of its TigerShark Lateral Interbody System. Developed in collaboration with Stuart D. Kinsella, MD, MSTR of The Steadman Clinic, the updated implant line introduces new sizes designed to better match a variety of patient anatomies.
Located right in the middle of the Chihuahuan Desert, the West Texan city of Marfa is something of an oasis. The city, known for its fertile contemporary arts scene, will also soon be home to a community of 3D printed villas thanks to a collaboration between Houston-based 3D construction company HiveASMBLD (formerly Hive3D), local developer Marfa Optimists LLC and architecture firm DeMaria Design, which specializes in innovative design and sustainability.
Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan (USask), from both the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) and the College of Engineering, are creating a 3D printed lung model that could transform how respiratory diseases are studied and treated. By combining engineering and biology, the team aims to replicate the complexity of human lungs more accurately than traditional lab or animal models, opening the door to personalized therapies and future organ regeneration.