Solvay AM filaments for healthcare applications.
Solvay, a leading global supplier of specialty polymers, has introduced three medical grade filaments for industrial additive manufacturing at Formnext 2018 in Frankfurt.
Broadening the company’s portfolio of high-performance materials, a neat KetaSpire polyetheretherketone (PEEK) AM filament (NT1 HC) and a 10-percent carbon fibre reinforced KetaSpire PEEK AM filament (CF10 HC), together with a neat Radel polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) AM filament (NT1 HC) are Solvay’s first medical grade AM filaments for limited contact applications (<24hr bodily fluid/tissue contact).
“The healthcare industry is quickly emerging as a leading market to benefit from AM technology which makes customised parts for single use or low volumes possible,” says Christophe Schramm, Additive Manufacturing business manager at Solvay’s Specialty Polymers global business unit (GBU). “However, there is still a very limited choice of high-performance filaments that meet the stringent regulatory requirements in healthcare and this is the gap we want to close with our new selection of medical grade products.”
Solvay’s KetaSpire PEEK AM filaments are designed to allow excellent fusion of printed layers, enable high part density and deliver exceptional part strength, including along the z-axis. Radel PPSU AM filaments also provide excellent fusion of printed layers in addition to transparency, high elongation and toughness.
“These new medical grade AM filaments emphasise Solvay’s continuing, pro-active initiatives to support our customers. The filaments can be used for a range of healthcare applications such as patient-specific cutting guides for surgery and for complex components in single-use and reusable medical devices,” said Jeff Hrivnak, global business manager for Healthcare at Solvay’s Specialty Polymers GBU.
All three grades are immediately available in Europe and North America at Solvay’s e-commerce platform.
