3D Printing Of High Performance Plastics For Medical Applications Using FLM (3D Printing Europe 2019)

Individualization respectively patient-specific medical products are of high advantage for patients and medical staff. Depending on the application, high performance plastics are often the preferred material for the products, due to radiolucency, low density, bone-like mechanics or biocompatibility. E.g. for patient specific implants, conventionally the polymer PEEK is processed by milling for individualized dental or cranial implants.

Miriam Haerst graduated in Mechanical Engineering at TU Munich and holds a doctorate in Mechanical Engineering. In parallel with her studies she worked at a hearing aid manufacturer in the field of 3D-printing. During her doctorate she focussed on processing of plastics for medical applications as well as the influences of a medical environment on plastics. In 2017 she founded the Kumovis GmbH, which develops FLM-printers for processing high performance plastics for regulated markets like medical technology.

Kumovis develops 3D printers, specially tailored to the requirements of regulated markets such as medical technology. The company focuses on the processing of high-performance plastics such as PEEK, which is already established in medical technology. With the innovative technology of Kumovis a reproducible production by means of additive manufacturing is realized. For example, patient-specific implants can be manufactured in a validated process with high quality.