If medical implants such as pacemakers, artificial joints, and dental implants – to name a few, have significantly enhanced the quality of life for millions of people worldwide, their challenges for long-term adoption almost always remain the same and often come down to implant durability, compatibility, and infection risk.
The good news is, advancements in materials and manufacturing techniques can help address these hurdles. With Additive Manufacturing especially, the production of implants is often achieved with materials that fall into two main categories: polymer and metals. Given the fact that each of these material categories requires a specific AM process and manufacturing chain in general, how do you choose the ideal material for a medical implant?
Identifying and assessing what plays to polymer and metal 3D printed implants’ strengths is the goal the next Additive Talks session ambitions to address. Entitled “Key differences between polymer and metal 3D printed implants”, this Additive Talks virtual table will take place on Wednesday, July 17th, from 03.30 pm to 04.30 pm Central European Time (from 9.30 am to 10.30 am New York Time/ EDT)
Presenters
Marc Knebel
Marc Knebel, Head of Medical Systems Market Segment within Evonik´s High Performance Polymers Business Line
With twenty-five years of experience in the medical industry, Knebel has honed his skills in project management, customer relations, product launches, and leading diverse teams on a global level.
For more than 20 years, multinational specialty chemicals company Evonik has been manufacturing high-performance polymers for Additive Manufacturing. The specialty chemicals company offers the industry’s most extensive portfolio of biomaterials used in the fabrication of 3D printed medical device parts - designed for temporary and permanent body contact. All VESTAKEEP PEEK filaments can be processed in common extrusion-based 3D printing technologies such as fused filament fabrication (FFF). Evonik's new VESTAKEEP® Fusion product line stands for the next generation of PEEK with osteoconductive properties. In addition, Evonik introduces the first carbon-fiber-reinforced PEEK filament for high-strength implant applications. Evonik’s portfolio also includes the RESOMER® line of bioresorbable filaments, powders and granules for implantable medical devices.
Dr. Andy Miller
Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer – South, restor3d Inc.
Dr. Miller is a co-founder of restor3d Inc., and served as CEO from its founding until 2021. Currently he serves as the COO for the south division where he manages manufacturing as well as the company-wide Quality team. As an early leader, Dr. Miller spearheaded the development of many of the business's core processes, including the unique custom device design controls which allows for 21 CFR 820 compliant design of custom devices, as well as the end-to-end patient-specific device business process. Additionally, he has firsthand experience in the implementation and validation of five different 3D printing technologies in a commercial production environment. Previously, Dr. Miller has also served as an adjunct professor at Duke University where he wholly developed and delivered a graduate engineering course on 3D printing, giving him a broad understanding of the technology and industry.
Kety Sindze
Managing Editor at 3D ADEPT Media
Kety is currently leading the publication’s editorial and content activities. She has a unique gift for knowing how to grab an audience's attention on insights that matter – in this case, everything related to additive manufacturing. She believes that a wide range of innovations still have to be discovered about the technologies that shape the world of tomorrow and she has made it her objective at 3D ADEPT Media.
3D ADEPT MEDIA
Marc Knebel
Marc Knebel, Head of Medical Systems Market Segment within Evonik´s High Performance Polymers Business Line