A German company created an IndieGoGo campaign to create filaments that could be used to create custom sized drug prescriptions based on patient size, weight, age, etc.

Ira3D, Italian 3D Printing company, has just entered the 3D Printing market with it's abundance of Thermoplastic filaments targeted to revolutionize medical field. Irabs Bismuto, Gummify Skin, NYLON 680, Nylon Protesis, Nylon Protesis and IRA PP TALC are the special filaments set to harness the benefits of 3D Printing.

A team of researchers from three universities including the Illinois Institute of Technology, recently published a Journal regarding emissions from 3D Printers concerning about health hazards of 3D Printing. PLA filament emitting lactide bits and ABS filaments emitting Styrene were worth concerning, however, the exposure levels need to be high enough for them to be effectively harmful.

Researchers from the School of Science have found photopolymers used in 3D printing which are toxic and exposure them can potentially pose health and environmental risks. Though these health risks are currently unknown but allergies through skin contacts are possible, as skin is the most common route of exposure to photopolymers during handling of parts and 3D printing materials.

Protosthetics and c2renew, both North Dakota based companies have announced their partnership and work together to 3D Print definitive Prosthetic Sockets with enhanced strength and quality. Developing a 3D Printing Filament, for the Sockets, as well for 3D Printing Orthotics, the two teams came together in creating a combination of industrial polymers and unique strengthening fibers.

A Chilean startup Copper3D had recently unveiled PLACTIVE, an antibacterial 3D printing filament designed for the production of medical devices such as prosthetics and braces. Taking interest in PLACTIVE, the NASA Nebraska Space Grant is working with the University of Nebraska Omaha and Copper3D on a study of PLACTIVE and states the new material has already passed very exhaustive laboratory tests with +99.99% elimination of most dangerous bacterial strains.

A group of researchers from the University of Sussex are working towards Drug Delivery Systems by combining FDM technology with Hot-Melt Extrusion (HME) which involves blending of Active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) with a thermoplastic polymer, and extrusion as filaments. Through pairing of HME with FDM technology, the researchers can help increase the range of usable FDM polymers and improve the usability of FDM 3D printers across many industries. HME, which does not require the use of a solvent, can be used to make drugs with a less bitter taste, while also lowering production times and increasing process efficiency.

During the LMT Lab Day Event held at Chicago, New York, Arfona made some huge announcements regarding their upcoming updates. Arfona is a New York-based dental tech startup, which was founded in 2016 by several 3D printing enthusiasts and dental technicians, and specializes in thermoplastic 3D printed dental prosthetics. After the 3D printed flexible partial denture, they have now come up with new FILAdent material – a thermoplastic PMMA filament that can be used to 3D print denture teeth when combined with Valplast’s partial dentures. PMMA, or poly(methyl methacrylate), is inert, biocompatible, and easy to obtain, and has been used to make cranial implants previously.