EUROPEAN CONGRESS AND EXHIBITION ON ADVANCED MATERIALS AND PROCESSES - EUROMAT 2021

Various plastics have a long tradition and have been successfully established as biomaterials for implants. For many years they have proven their advantages in processes such as injection molding and milling. As of today, however, very limited plastic implants are manufactured and implanted using additive manufacturing.
Now, along with the rapid development of material extrusion process technology, suitable materials of assured quality can bring this technology to a breakthrough. 3D printing technology provides unique possibilities of new and innovative medical device designs - such as porous structures - and thus supplements current conventional production methods. Close collaboration and exchange between raw material suppliers, printer producers, medical device companies and key opinion leaders is key to further boost 3D printing for novel designs and patient-specific plastic implants.
Evonik is the only material supplier in the world to offer a range of absorbable polymers (RESOMER) and permanent PEEK polymers (VESTAKEEP) for conventional processing technologies as well as 3D printing. In this report we will give an overview about innovative materials for 3D printing, especially for the manufacture of medical implants, and give an outlook on upcoming material developments.