Shapeways
Shapeways PA11
Hand orthosis printed with PA11 on an EOS SLS platform.
Shapeways is now able to produce parts in PA11 material through its fleet of EOS selective laser sintering (SLS) machines.
The company harnesses SLS technology to manufacture nearly 50% of the parts for its customer base and has sought to integrate the bio-degradable nylon material into its offering to cater for a number of professional applications.
PA11 is a material that is leveraged in a host of industries, including automotive, aerospace, electronics, and medical, the latter of which is being referenced as a key market for Shapeways. With the new-found ability to 3D print parts in PA11, Shapeways has highlighted orthoses, prostheses, braces, and insoles as key applications. 3D printing is renowned for its capacity to deliver customised medical enhancements, while PA11 boasts strength, flexibility, impact resistance, and ductility.
“Expanding our reach to the medical industry to make life-changing enhancements available is something we could have only imagined when we first opened our doors,” commented Greg Kress, CEO of Shapeways. “We look forward to working with the medical industry and creating products such as prosthetic limbs, making someone’s life better. This is what the 3D printing industry has been working towards and making it available to businesses of all sizes is a real dream.”
Shapeways has installed a host of EOS platforms over the years, with the Munich-headquartered company among the first partners of the service provider when it launched in 2007. With PA11 now at its disposal, the alliance between the two looks set to continue flourishing.
“Collaborating with the industry visionaries at Shapeways has always felt like a privilege. Working together to combine their expertise, our technology with an eco-friendly polymer breakthrough seems like an appropriate extension to our complementary pioneering attitude,” offered Glynn Fletcher, President, EOS North America. “PA11 has the potential to transform how the medical industry can use 3D printing to improve patient outcomes. It has the additional benefit of lowering the negative, ecological effects that are generally associated with petroleum based plastics. We are proud to be part of the venture and look forward to seeing how far the technology, materials and collaboration can take us.”
