Latest in 3D printing and additive manufacturing

Nylon and titanium surgical guides

3D Systems’ VSP Hybrid Guides for maxillofacial surgeons combine the strength of titanium with the relative softness of nylon in a single, patient-specific guide with registration to the dentition for added confidence in guide placement and surgical site visibility. The surgical guides are manufactured using 3D Systems’ LaserForm Ti and DuraForm ProX PA materials on the DMP Flex 350 and ProX SLS 6100 production-grade 3D printer systems.

VSP Hybrid Guides are the latest delivery through the 3D Systems and Stryker partnership. The new hybrid guides are compatible with Facial iD, Stryker’s portfolio of patient-specific plating solutions. https://www.3dsystems.com

Desktop Metal acquires Adaptive3D

Additive manufacturing (AM) printer maker Desktop Metal purchased Adaptive3D, a provider of photopolymer elastomers that enable volume AM parts production of odorless, tough, strain-tolerant, tear-resistant, and biocompatible rubbers and rubber-like materials. The company’s flagship resin is Elastic ToughRubber 90, and its materials are optimized for high-throughput manufacturing of functional, complex 3D plastic and rubber parts in healthcare, consumer, industrial, transportation, and oil & gas markets. Adaptive3D’s core technology was developed through Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) funding.

“The acquisition of Adaptive3D advances Desktop Metal’s vertical integration strategy to grow our portfolio of materials and expand the high-volume applications supported by our polymer additive manufacturing solutions,” says Ric Fulop, founder and CEO of Desktop Metal.

Adaptive3D will operate as a subsidiary of Desktop Metal, and Adaptive3D’s Founder and CEO, Dr. Walter Voit, will continue to lead the business from its Plano, Texas, headquarters. https://www.desktopmetal.com

Post-processing thermoplastic elastomers

Additive Manufacturing Technologies Ltd. (AMT) received a $121,000 grant from Innovate UK to expand its portfolio of green technology for post-processing 3D-printed parts. The award will fast-track AMT’s research and development (R&D) program to introduce a new generation of green, bio-renewable chemistries for post-processing elastomers.

These consumables for thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and other elastomers will be used in AMT’s PostPro Chemical Vapor Smoothing process and current organic consumables.

“Developing sustainable solutions that further the industrialization of additive manufacturing is our primary focus at AMT, and we’ve already proven that with our PostPro Chemical Vapor Smoothing technology. By using the Innovate UK Sustainability funding to develop this new consumable for elastomers, we’re furthering the capabilities of our technology in an even more sustainable way for our customers,” says Dr. Konstantin Rybalcenko, global head of R&D at AMT. https://amtechnologies.com