Revolutionizing the Orthopedic Sector Thanks to 3D Printing

COP Chimie is a French SME primarily based in the Vercors area which has been establishing products for the orthopedic sector for about 30 decades. Many thanks to its Investigate and Progress laboratory, as perfectly as its synthesis device, the firm has succeeded in producing a printable silicone elastomer qualified for pores and skin get in touch with. This new delicate and flexible materials tends to make it probable to create orthoses and exterior prostheses by 3D printing. This innovative solution in the discipline of orthopedic equipment enables for quicker production of custom made-created medical gadgets. This alter will greatly facilitate the daily life of a lot of disabled individuals who dress in these equipment on a everyday foundation.

Silicones, frequently in the form of oils or translucent elastomers that can be effortlessly coloured, are appreciated for their resistance to temperature, their flexibility, their hydrophobic and texturing character, in addition to their chemical balance which makes them ideal for the physiological atmosphere in specific. Consequently, silicones are employed in the composition of a lot of products and objects with a vast selection of works by using: cleanliness and cleaning merchandise, seals, industrial or food stuff molds, coatings and paints, lubricants and greases, prostheses, toys, and many others. For even more facts see the IDTechEx report on 3D Printed Products Current market 2020-2030: COVID Version.

 

Supported by thesis get the job done in partnership with IMP/INSA in Lyon, COP has developed a silicone with a distinct consistency that makes it possible for layer by layer deposition of liquid silicone devoid of collapse. The hardness and reactivity of COPSIL3D can be adapted to the variety of composition to be designed. The cross-linking (the curing of the elastomer), catalyzed by platinum, will take location at room temperature when the two sections have been blended in the static mixer at the print head. It can be accelerated by the addition of energy.

 

Printed COPSIL3D elastomers have the very same mechanical attributes as a solid silicone, have no shrinkage or odor and are compatible with skin make contact with apps (ISO 10993-5 certification). They are ideal for the manufacture of adaptable components with complicated patterns or modest collection, for illustration for prototyping.

In order to democratize this technological innovation, COP Chimie is partnering with F3DF, professionals in 3D printing, to offer schooling on 3D printing of silicones.