Implant manufacturer Croom Medical and metals supplier Global Advanced Metals (GAM) have developed a closed-loop supply chain for tantalum powder with the help of a Colibrium Additive M2 laser powder bed fusion system.
While primarily used in aircraft engines and electronics, tantalum has also been leveraged for dental implants, joint replacements and other medical devices. But there has so far been ‘limited industrial additive manufacturing processing’ of the metal, according to Croom and GAM.
Recognising the material’s suitability for additive manufacturing and the production of medical implants that support bone growth and osseointegration, the companies have come together to develop a closed-loop and sustainable supply chain for tantalum powder.
Post 3D printing, Croom Medical sends end-of-life tantalum powder to GAM, who recycles and reprocesses the powder within its manufacturing process before returning it to Croom. The recycled powder is then reused with Croom’s additive manufacturing operations, completing a workflow that the partners say is sustainable, reliable and more cost efficient.
Using an M2 additive manufacturing system from Colibrium Additive, Croom and GAM have developed structures designed for high-precision 3D printing, with Croom renowned for creating complex, porous and osteoconductive devices that can be tailored to patient anatomies. The company is said to have additively manufactured more than 60,000 medical devices, having invested heavily in AM technology and partnered with leading academic and research institutions.
Croom’s 3D printing platform for tantalum is now available under the company’s contract manufacturing model, with several customers already in the prototyping phase of some devices.
“The intrinsic purity and properties of tantalum have a wonderful fit for next-generation implants and we feel that Croom Medical is the company with the right balance of experience, capability and long-established customer relationships to bring this to market,” said Dr Shane Keaveney, R&D Manager at Croom Medical. “We invest continuously in research and innovation to push the boundaries of medical device manufacturing. Although it is rare for a contract manufacturing firm to do this, our investment in future technologies underscores our commitment to innovation. The advantage of the collaboration with GAM is that by harnessing our combined strengths and resources, we can deliver solutions that precisely address the specific needs of our OEM customers.”
