News and Insights of 3D Printing and Manufacturing
3D printer OEM Stratasys has introduced a dental anatomical model preset designed for simulation-based education and clinical training. The multi-material 3D printed solution offers a synthetic alternative to cadavers, animal specimens, and stone models, addressing cost, variability, and ethical concerns that continue to affect traditional training environments.
Materialise NV, a Belgium-based 3D printing software and medical device company, has introduced custom-made implants made from polyetheretherketone (PEEK) to its cranio-maxillofacial (CMF) portfolio. Surgeons can now select either titanium or the high-performance polymer for patient-specific reconstructions while using the same digital planning and case management system. Availability covers Europe, excluding Switzerland.
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have created MagMix, a compact magnetic system that actively prevents cell settling during 3D bioprinting, producing more uniform and functional tissues. The innovation addresses a key limitation in biofabrication: sedimentation in bioinks—a mixture of living cells and hydrogels—which can cause clogging, uneven cell distribution, and inconsistent tissue quality, making it difficult to print large or complex tissues reliably.
The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) has announced the first recipients of its Personalized Regenerative Immunocompetent Nanotechnology Tissue (PRINT) program. The selected research teams from Carnegie Mellon University, Wake Forest University, the Wyss Institute, University of California San Diego, and University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center will develop advanced bioprinted organs, including livers and kidneys, designed to function without immunosuppressive drugs by using patient-specific cells or those from biobanks.
restor3d, a specialist in 3D printed personalized orthopedic solutions, has announced the full commercial release of the Ossera AFX Ankle Fusion Cage System. The platform, designed to address complex ankle fusion cases, is now available in both standard off-the-shelf and custom made-to-order configurations.
U.S. company creating patient-specific spinal implants Nivalon Medical Technologies has developed what it describes as the first fully patient-specific spinal implant that preserves natural motion without metal components. The device combines AI-driven design with advanced ceramic 3D printing, using a zirconia-toughened alumina (ZTA) structure and a flexible core to replicate spinal movement.
Researchers at Guangxi Medical University Hospital in China used 3D printing to produce custom titanium prostheses with mesh patches for five patients with distal radius giant cell tumors between 2018 and 2021. By precisely matching each patient’s anatomy, the implants improved ligament attachment, joint stability, and early wrist mobility.
Danish digital orthopedic manufacturing company Create it REAL has partnered with Monterrey-based Vitalitecs to expand access to advanced digital production technologies for orthopedic devices across Mexico. Announced in January 2026, the collaboration aims to support the local production of patient-specific orthotics, prosthetics, and medical devices using 3D printing-enabled workflows.
Open-source medical device developer Glia has produced and used an external fixator for severe fractures that is designed and manufactured inside the territory, using locally available resources.
U.S. private research university Carnegie Mellon University has received up to $28.5 million from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) to develop a 3D bioprinted, immune-compatible liver designed to temporarily support patients with acute liver failure, potentially reducing the need for full organ transplants and advancing regenerative medicine.