Above: Evonik is launching 3D-printable PEEK filament in implant quality for medical applications / Photo credits: Evonik
Evonik, one of the world’s leading specialty chemicals, announced Introduction of a 3D printable PEEK filament in implant quality for medical applications. With this medical filament, it sets new standards for the design and manufacture of bespoke plastic implants that can now be manufactured using additive manufacturing processes that meet the requirements of ASTM F2026 (the standard specification for PEEK polymers for surgical implant applications).
This PEEK filament is sold under the brand name VESTAKEEP® i4 3DF and is an implant-quality material based on VESTAKEEP® i4 G, a highly viscous high-performance polymer from Evonik. Customers will be impressed with the biocompatibility, biostability, X-ray transparency and ease of use of the product. The filament is manufactured under clean room conditions and then subjected to strict quality management standards for medical materials.
In 2018 Evonik became the very first company Introduction of a 3D printable PEEK filament (polyetheretherketone) as an implantable material (VESTAKEEP® i4 G) for medical applications.
PEEK FILAMENT FOR FUSED FILAMENT FABRICATION
PEEK (Poly Ether Ether Ketone) is a high-performance material that was developed for FFF (Fused Filament Fabrication) technology. The natural-colored PEEK filament from Evonik has a diameter of 1.75 mm and is available in spools of 250 or 500 grams, which are suitable for direct use in all standard FFF 3D printers for PEEK materials.
Marc Knebel, Head of the Medical Devices & Systems market segment at Evonik, commented on the new launch: “For modern medical technology, the development of our first 3D printable implant material opens up new possibilities for adapting patient treatments. Orthopedics and maxillofacial surgery are examples of areas where this could be applied. Innovative high-performance materials such as Evonik’s VESTAKEEP® PEEK, together with highly complex hardware and software and the perfect match between materials and machines, form the basis for a sustainable 3D printing revolution in medical technology. We will therefore gradually expand our product portfolio of 3D printable biomaterials. “
EXAM LEVEL ACTIVATES COST-EFFECTIVE PROCESS ADAPTATION
Above: The new PEEK filament from Evonik is based on the earlier medical material VESTAKEEP® i4 G / Photo credits: Evonik
In addition to its implant quality, Evonik also offers a test version of its PEEK filament. The term refers to a material class with exactly the same product properties as the implant quality, but without the documentation required for approval in medical technology applications. This offers a cost-effective way of adapting the processing properties of the high-performance plastic to a specific 3D printer.
Evonik has been the world’s leading manufacturer of high-performance polymers and additives for additive manufacturing for more than 20 years. The specialty chemicals company offers the industry’s broadest portfolio of GMP-grade biomaterials used in the 3D printing of medical device parts for temporary and permanent body contact. In addition to VESTAKEEP® i4 3DF, the portfolio includes the RESOMER® series of bioabsorbable filaments, powders and granulates for implantable medical devices.
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