Formlabs has just unveiled three novel flexible and healthcare-focused materials, promising to grow their presence in the medical and dental industries.
For those not familiar, Formlabs has consistently been pushing the envelope in biomedical and dental 3D printing spaces with innovative material additions. The company has released quite a number of resin materials specifically designed for those industries.
Their most recent releases are the Silicone 40A and Alumina 4N Resins. Let’s break down these newcomers:
BioMed Elastic 50A Resin: Tailored for long-term skin contact and personal fit, this soft and flexible material opens a path for creating sophisticated soft-tissue models, gastrointestinal models for fluid visualization, and intricate neurovascular references for surgeons.
BioMed Flex 80A Resin: A durable, transparent, and firm material, geared towards crafting flexible medical devices or robust tissue models that surgeons can utilize for reference during surgeries.
IBT Flex Resin: Designed specifically for dental and orthodontic applications, this material promises to deliver precision in crafting indirect bonding trays and direct composite restoration guides.
All these materials will be compatible with Form 3B/+ and Form 3BL printers.
The introduction of these materials isn’t just about adding more to an inventory; it’s about the changing business models in healthcare and dental practices. Formlabs is essentially challenging traditional manufacturing methodologies, offering a more efficient, cost-effective, and personalized alternative.
There are many different types of biomedical / dental models and appliances, and there are specific materials required for each. Every time Formlabs adds a new resin, they therefore open up the possibility of sales for those applications.
The benefit here is that among these professional disciplines, Formlabs is one of the lowest cost providers, with traditional methods and competing 3D print alternatives being higher priced.
With materials like IBT Flex Resin, for example, dental labs may soon shift how they operate, moving to higher precision products at a fraction of the time and cost.
It’s not hard to imagine a near future where these applications are commonly done using 3D printing thanks to the innovative use of such materials.
With each new material release, Formlabs continues to expand its presence in the professional 3D printing domain. Today’s announcement is no doubt not the last from Formlabs.
Via Formlabs
