Additive manufacturing in medical technology

Auf dem Arburg-Seminar an der Universität Bologna stellten die Experten auch Praxisbeispiele für die Einsatzmöglichkeiten des Freeformers in der Medizintechnik vor. (Foto: ARBURG) / During the Arburg seminar at the University of Bologna, the experts also presented application examples for the Freeformer in medical technology. (Photo: ARBURG)

Arburg bietet ein breites Produktprogramm für die Medizintechnik – von der Großserienfertigung mit Allroundern im Reinraum bis zur additiven Fertigung von Einzelteilen mit dem Freeformer. (Foto: ARBURG) / Arburg offers a wide range of products for medical technology – from high-volume production on Allrounders in clean rooms through to additive manufacturing of individual parts using the Freeformer. (Photo: ARBURG)

- In practice: Experts reporting on trends and plastics processing in medical technology
- Comprehensive: Medical plastic products – from high-volume production to individualised single parts
- Innovative: University of Bologna uses Freeformer for research and development

On 23 May 2019, Arburg Italy will hold its first seminar on "Additive manufacturing in medical technology" at the "Alma Mater Studiorum" University in Bologna. Prof. Maurizio Fiorini, Mattia Mele and Prof. Luca Tomesani from the University of Bologona will speak about their experience using the Freeformer and will present applications as well as the new Expertise Centre for Industry 4.0. On behalf of Arburg, experts Dr. Didier von Zeppelin and Martin Manka will talk about news regarding Arburg Plastic Freeforming (APF) and current applications and trends in medical technology.

"Arburg has decades of experience in medical technology. We offer innovative injection moulding technology and tailor-made clean room and turnkey solutions for efficient plastics processing. In addition, we have the Freeformer, which is capable of additively processing medically approved original materials to create functional components, thereby opening up completely new applications", emphasises Raffaele Abbruzzetti, Managing Director at Arburg Italy. "This potential has also been recognised by the renowned University of Bologna which uses the Freeformer for material development . The seminar allows us to combine know-how from industry and research so that participants are able to obtain comprehensive information on trends and additive manufacturing in medical technology from various perspectives."

Arburg demonstrates the potential of additive manufacturing

Dr. Didier von Zeppelin, Manager Additive Manufacturing at Arburg, and Ivan Panfiglio from Arburg Italy supported the University of Bologna in putting the Freeformer into operation and provided technical training. During the seminar, Dr. Didier von Zeppelin will present the APF process, available original materials and the ability to specifically influence process parameters and thus part properties. Furthermore, he will present functional components made of resorbable and FDA-approved materials and will also discuss how the Freeformer can be automatically integrated into IT-networked manufacturing lines in order to realise "on demand" production in single-unit batches. Dr. Didier von Zeppelin will also talk about the experience that customers such as Aesculap and Samaplast have already gained using the APF process.

Martin Manka, Senior Sales Manager Medical at Arburg, will present an overview of the market, industry trends and Arburg's full range of medical technology products. This includes clean room concepts, multi-component technology, e.g. for injection moulding of ready-to-use labs-on-a-chip, processing of resorbable materials and the Arburg ALS host computer system for GMP-compliant documentation of process data. In addition, Martin Manka will demonstrate the potential offered by the Freeformer with regard to the EU-wide "Medical Device Regulation" which requires traceability down to the individual parts.

University of Bologna presents current R&D results

Prof. Maurizio Fiorini and Mattia Mele, who primarily works on the Freeformer in the university laboratory, will present the first results for industrial additive manufacturing. Finally, Prof. Luca Tomesani will give a lecture on the newly opened "BI-REX" (Big Data Innovation & Research Excellence) Expertise Center, a pilot factory for Industry 4.0 in which new technologies are to be developed starting at the end of the year. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to take a "live" look at the premises of the department and its resident Freeformer and to exchange ideas directly with the speakers.