Nexa3D, a maker of stereolithography 3D printers, and Henkel, a leading supplier of high impact functional additive materials, announced the immediate commercial availability of xMED412, a polypropylene-like material for manufacturing a variety of biocompatible, medical and wearable devices. Manufactured by Henkel, xMED412 is based on its Loctite MED412 material and is covered by all of its associated clearances, tests and certifications.
Said Ken Kisner, Henkel’s Head of Innovation for 3D printing, “We developed and tested with Nexa3D’s NXE400 3D printer a multitude of approved workflows designed to unleash the full potential of xMED412’s physical properties and biocompatibility. Nexa3D and Henkel have provided a digital manufacturing solution for a growing number of medical devices, athletic wearables and personalized audio products. Especially with regard to the current Covid-19 pandemic, we are pleased that nasopharyngeal swabs manufactured with xMED412 on the NXE400, in accordance with our published procedures, have already been cleared through clinical trials and are in compliance with ISO 10993 testing and FDA Class I Exempt classification.”
xMED412 was developed to deliver consistent part performance and functionality. The medical-grade material is a strong and durable photopolymer with mechanical attributes similar to polypropylene with elongation, impact strength, and compression strength. xMED412 parts printed on Nexa3D’s NXE400 require post processing and cleaning in accordance with the company’s recommendations and can be machined, tapped, or polished to deliver desired production finishes.
Said Michele Marchesan, Nexa3D’s Chief Growth Officer, “In the U.S., we quickly qualified and scaled up single printer production capacity to 5400 swabs a day at our Nexa3D flexible factory in support of the ongoing demand for nasal swabs. Elsewhere, we are printing ventilator parts and other medical device parts, including venturis and connectors at productivity and scale, which are fast achieving the new standard for flexible series production.”
xMED412 is a lightweight yet sturdy material that comes with inherent insulating properties, designed to withstand impact, moisture and vibration. These features and attributes suit devices that might need to be sterilized or disinfected and are shipped around the world for use in homecare and healthcare settings.
To advance the miniaturization of biocompatible, medical and wearable devices, design engineers are incorporating new materials into device designs for added product lifecycle flexibility. For companies that manufacture single-use medical devices, or reusable devices, many critical components need to bend and flex for use on or near a patient’s body. Such components and substrates must be pliable, elastic, and often kink-resistant, which is where the combination of xMED412 as 3D printed on the NXE400 shines.
Both the NXE400 and xMED412 are immediately available for purchase through Nexa3D’s growing network of resellers.
Henkel
www.henkel.com
NEXA3D
www.nexa3d.com
