Partnership aims to optimise atmospheric conditions for additive manufacturing

Global industrial gases and engineering company, Linde, has partnered with additive manufacturing specialist, 3D Medlab, to study how atmospheric conditions in the additive manufacturing process can be optimised to produce complex latticed structures for medical devices.

This project is reportedly the first of its kind.

Linde and 3D Medlab's first partnership was focused around the supply of its ADDvance powder cabinet, which is designed to retain the quality of valuable, sensitive metal powders used in the additive manufacturing process by protecting them from exposure to ambient air and humidity.

However, the current collaboration between Linde and 3D Medlab is focused on Ti-6AI-4V lattice structures. Future efforts will also include the potential of nickel titanium (also known as nitinol) as a result of its excellent shape memory and super elasticity, which makes it an ideal candidate for next generation stents.

Atmospheric trials will involve a new helium/argon gas mixture created especially by Linde for the project to aim to make the process smoother and cleaner, along with use of Linde’s ADDvance O2 precision, oxygen measuring and analysis technology, to ensure the optimal mix of gases within the print chamber. As well as the new gas mixture, ADDvance O2 precision will give 3D Medlab precise, granular control over the oxygen concentration and humidity levels in the print chamber.

Pierre Forêt, senior expert manufacturing, Linde, commented: “We are proud to be collaborating with 3D Medlab on this important and forward-looking project.

“As a customer at the forefront of medical device manufacturing, anything less than optimal product outcomes is critically important to avoid, so it is testament to our gases expertise and know-how that we have been selected to partner in this endeavour.”

Gaël Volpi, CEO, 3D Medlab, added: “Our experience with Linde shows that they are as committed to the same high standards of precision and excellence in additive manufacturing that we are.

“Full regulatory compliance is a fundamental cornerstone in our engineering and design process and our customers trust us to ensure all proper measures and controls are in place.”