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Ceramic Printing

What is Ceramic Printing?

 

The modern 3D printing space is a far cry from its early days of scientists and geeks printing out plastic prototypes. Today, users have a broad choice of materials, which allows them to pick various parameters based on their needs based on rigidity, thermal conductivity, biocompatibility, strength to weight ratios and more.

 

This opens up a broad range of industries which can benefit from the technology, with their own pick of materials which give them the opportunity to create freely with precision and efficiency. Some materials however have managed to break the barrier and have managed to disrupt multiple industries due to their versatility. One such material is Ceramic.

 

Strictly speaking in the context of healthcare, an industry that is becoming increasingly keen on adopting 3D Printing in more aspects of operations. The fact that ceramic is light, durable, and biocompatible makes it a great material for the medical and surgical industries where it’s used for implants, surgical tools and guides, and diagnostic equipment.

 

The traditional methods of preparing medical implants like artificial bones were time-consuming and costly. However ceramic printing allows for a faster and more economic alternative while also providing great biocompatibility. Some applications highlighted in common use can be Ear implants, CAT scans, Laser surgery, Pacemakers, Components for cardiology, Implants for neurology, Femoral head implant for hip replacement, and hand tools. 

What are Catalytic Converters?

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Pharmaceutical printing involves three distinct methods. These are 

  • Hot Melt Extrusion - the creation of filaments to use for FDM printing, or directly using the melt for deposition

  • Liquid curing - extrusion-based printing to deposit materials, or SLA to cure resins

  • Powder Fusion - SLS or binder jetting

 

Avay has developed a concept 3D printer for all the above styles of printing and is currently validating directly melting the powder to be deposited in the required shape. For temperature-sensitive drugs, liquid printing is offered as an alternative. An accurate measure of its specifics such as bulk density, drug content and dispersion, and friability are required while evaluating printed tablets. Eventually, we can mass-produce patient-specific and customisable medication.

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