Antimicrobial materials have gained importance and popularity over the past year. The Chilean-American company Copper3D, known for its antimicrobial materials for 3D printing in FDM technology, has announced a new antimicrobial resin for SLA technology.
Since its foundation in 2018, Copper3D has had tremendous success, expanding its line of antimicrobial materials and building a network of 20 distributors worldwide. Thanks to this, the materials of the Chilean-American manufacturer can be purchased in as many as 50 countries. In addition, the company has partnered with NASA’s research and development department, being among the top five most influential manufacturers of 3D printing materials.
Some time ago, the manufacturer received validation for its Cuprionix® antimicrobial additives, which are used in Copper3D products. According to the Pasteur Institute in France, they have a strong antiviral effect and are effective at eliminating 90% of pathogens in 5 minutes and + 99.975% in 60 minutes. It is an incredible success and confirmation of the technology developed by the manufacturer.
Since the beginning, Copper3D has focused on antimicrobial materials for FDM 3D printing. Now, the company decided to introduce also photopolymer resins for SLA 3D printing, which are considered to be antimicrobial. SLA method provides much better quality and applicability for Copper3D materials in more demanding industries.
According to Daniel Martínez, director of innovation at Copper3D, the company has always focused on the application of copper-based antimicrobial materials to save people’s health and lives. The variety of applications of antibacterial materials is very wide, from the production of antimicrobial insoles for patients with diabetic foot to surgical guides for planning complex operations. The introduction of other types of materials, dedicated to other 3D printing technologies, will expand the possibilities of using the Chilean manufacturer’s materials in other industries.
New 3D printing resin Glaciarys AR3® is an answer to the specific demandings and needs of surgeons and dentists. Material will be highly efficient and at the same time antimicrobial, therefore it will be possible to use it in surgical conditions. SLA provides high quality, excellent resolution and the possibility of prototyping various resin formulas with antimicrobial additives.
Glaciarys AR3® resin will be available at an affordable price and at the same time dedicated to biomedical applications. New material will be fully biocompatible, meeting the requirements of the test of ISO22196 standard. It is effective against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.
Obtaining such important material certifications will enable Glaciarys AR3® to be used in various sectors of the healthcare industry. The first application to test the new Copper3D material was a complex shoulder arthroplasty under the supervision of Dr. Felipe Reinares, a prestigious and respected orthopedic surgeon in the shoulder and elbow surgery field. The material was used for pre-surgical planning with elements of high performance. The success of Glaciarys AR3® in planning this operation proves that it is an ideal resin for dental, orthopedic and rehabilitation applications.
Soon Glaciarys AR3® will be available from Copper3D distributors. The list can be found here.
Graphics: Copper3D Press Releases.
