Avinent explains the possibilities its investment in the world’s only full-colour, multi-material Stratasys J750 3D printer could provide within the medical sector.
Avinent, a Spanish scientific research and technological innovation company, has invested in a Stratasys J750 3D printer to increase its capability to produce 3D printed anatomical and dental models for customers within the medical sector.
By using Stratasys’ J750 3D printer, the company plans to fill orders from public and private health centres, as well as hospitals requiring anatomical models used to simulate and effectively plan surgeries.
Full-colour, multi-material 3D printed anatomical models
Avinent is based in Santpedor, Barcelona and provides digital health solutions for hospitals and clinics, through offering personalised implants and surgical guides in a variety of areas. The solutions offered include reconstructive surgery, orthognathic surgery, neurosurgery, as well as reproduction of body parts, such as the spinal column.
The world’s only full colour, multi-material 3D printer is expected to provide the accuracy and realism that is so crucial for medical practitioners. The J750’s unique capabilities will enable the company to produce high-resolution, multi-material, colour models of a patient’s anatomy which is currently not possible with other 3D printing technologies. The ability to mimic a patient’s anatomy and offer a clear visual representation of the affected area, will ensure surgeons can provide an accurate prognosis and as a result identify the best course of treatment.
“In the past, we’ve tried several 3D printers, but we’ve been limited when requiring complex models that necessitate different textures, materials and colours,” explains Albert Giralt, CEO of Avinent. “The J750 is a big step forward for us. We’re now able to produce patient-specific models of exceptional realism, which will make the surgeon’s job much easier and ultimately improve patient care. The fact that we can now 3D print models using several different materials, textures and colours all in a single print means we can also drastically reduce cost and lead times during production.”
Avinent states it is already seeing quantifiable benefits from this technology investment. For example, the company is now producing transparent 3D printed models of jaws that permit hospitals to show the localisation of nerves, and the team also recently 3D printed a highly-advanced transparent heart model with injected colours, using multiple materials and textures which enabled the surgeon to definitively outline a carcinoma growing in the affected organ.
Ultra-realistic 3D printed dental models
3D printing models that can combine hard and soft materials have increased the company’s ability to address more complex requests from customers. By using the Stratasys J750 3D printer Avinent is able to produce a wide range of models for dental practitioners such as creating the effect of gum using flexible materials, while mimicking the mandible or maxilla with nerves and teeth using more rigid materials.
Giralt continues: “The new 3D printer will quickly take us to the next level of digital dentistry. Indeed, we can already now rapidly produce dental models with unrivalled realism, enabling dental practitioners to better visualise their patient’s mouth and teeth, and find the most effective solution to the specific problem. This is what medical professionals’ value, aiding pre-surgery simulations while improving the chances of success and overall patient care. The range of possibilities on the J750 are infinite, and its diverse applications will continue to grow.”