News and Insights of 3D Printing and Manufacturing
Materialise is making a strategic investment in Engimplan, a Brazil-based manufacturer of orthopedic and cranio-maxillofacial (CMF) implants and instruments. The combination of Materialise’s expertise in 3D printed medical solutions with Engimplan’s innovative product portfolio will help to accelerate the introduction of 3D printed, personalized implants and instruments in the Brazilian market.
Italian 3D printing company DWS recently wrapped up its Open Factory Week event at its headquarters in Thiene. The event, which took place over the course of five days, was packed with conferences and meetings and enabled the stereolithography 3D printer manufacturer to showcase the potential of its technology in various sectors, including industrial, dental and jewelry.
Scientists at ETH Zurich and the South African company Strait Access Technologies (SAT) are using 3D printing to produce custom-made artificial silicone heart valves. This could help meet an aging population’s growing demand for replacement heart valves.
UK-based medical 3D printing company axial3D has secured $3 million through a recent funding round led by London-based Imprimatur Capital Fund Management. The investment will enable axial3D to accelerate the development and adoption of its automated 3D printing solution for the medical sector, which promises to advance the standards and efficiency of surgical operations.
In the world of prototyping, Italy-based 3ntr has proven its worth, demonstrating time and time again that its 3D printing solutions offer the speed, precision and reliability needed to prototype viable products. The company’s 3D printers have even proven capable in one of the most demanding fields around—healthcare—through a recent partnership with global design studio Frog.
The fourth edition of the 3D Pioneers Challenge came to a close this past June, after the contest’s expert jury selected the winning submissions from a pool of 36 finalists. Winners from each of the challenge’s eight main categories were presented with their prizes (worth over € 40,000) at Rapid.Tech + FabCon 3D.
A series of recently approved codes by the American Medical Association (AMA) will help to push the adoption and use of 3D printing for clinical applications and healthcare. The new codes—consisting of four current procedural terminology (CPT) category III reimbursement codes, came into effect on July 1.
German chemical group WACKER is preparing to introduce a new and improved version of its ACEO 3D printing technology for silicone rubber at the upcoming K 2019 International Trade Fair for Plastics and Rubber. The new 3D printer—the ACEO Imagine Series K2—integrates a range of new features and capabilities, including printing up to four different silicone materials simultaneously.
Whilst 3D printing may not be new technology, the uptake of 3D printing for surgical applications is growing and offering novel, creative opportunities for personalized care. 3D printing technologies have been making their mark in medicine in many different areas, from pharmaceutical design to personalized, bioresorbable implants. Facilitating surgical teams both inside and outside the operating room, the adoption of 3D printing in surgery solutions is on the rise and is well positioned to be a fundamental instrument in the operating room of the future.
Australian startup Hearables 3D—a spin out of a research initiative at Swinburne University—has developed a process for 3D printing custom fitted ear devices, such as earphones and hearing aids, in less than an hour. The technique relies on smartphone 3D scanning and ultra-fast stereolithography 3D printing.