This application showcases additive manufactured industry-grade composite material for orthopedic devices. It uses continuous carbon fiber and PEKK as a material optimization compared to current similar products available on the market.
Traditionally, medical products are being produced by machining the final geometry out of a metal alloy or composite material block. Carbon composites have outstanding properties for medical applications, both for instruments and implants. While generally being more costly in purchasing, they are increasingly competitive when considering the total cost-of-care.
The aiming arms are guiding aids used to align the surgical tools with the bone plate’s holes during surgery. Throughout their service life, they receive relatively low mechanical loads but undergo many sterilisation cycles.
Medical parts such as surgical guides must demonstrate excellent dimensional accuracy and stability overtime against wear, moisture intake, hydrolysis and thermal cycling. Additionally, X-ray translucency is crucial, as it enables the in-situ verification of the correct position of the whole fixation system.
For surgical orthopedic instruments - and in medtech in general - carbon composites can be a game changer. Multiple hybrid layups with both carbon fiber/PEKK and neat PEKK filament can be designed and combined to a final laminated structure. This is to optimize the carbon fiber placement according to the specific requirements of the application.
9T Labs' AFT solution leverages the latest developments in automation technology, software and materials to make high-performance parts easily accessible at affordable cost.
2.000 parts per annum with our Red Series AFT solution
