Medtech
Revolutionizing medical technology through 3D printing
The healthcare industry is constantly evolving — and 3D printing is perfectly equipped to keep up with this ongoing change. Discover how our tailored AM software and services can help you move from design to serial production quickly and affordably with controlled processes and de-risked, sustainable supply chains.
Bring speed and flexibility to the small series production of spare parts and consumables used for diagnostics, life science research, pharmaceutical production, and more.
Offer every customer a truly personalized product for better comfort and performance. Automate the design of orthotics and prosthetics and benefit from a simplified design-to-order workflow with no minimum order quantities.
Personalized care is growing quickly within the healthcare industry. Materialise accelerates your journey in bringing patient-specific medical devices for orthopaedic, cranio-maxillofacial, and cardiovascular applications to market.
Why choose Materialise?
Dedicated quality management
Quality control and traceability are crucial in medtech. Our standardized NPI process for serial production guarantees repeatability, traceability, and quality — all backed by quality management principles in accordance with ISO 9001 and a team experienced in bringing medical devices safely to market.
Flexible production methods
Whether you’re producing a prototype or moving into serial production, our range of in-house production methods provides access to whichever technology best fits your purpose. Find everything from vacuum casting to 3D printing in polymers and metals, all in one place.
Industry-leading software for your AM production
Control and manage your entire production process with our industry-leading CO-AM Software Package. With CO-AM, you’ll have all the tools for a fully streamlined and scalable workflow, perfect for both qualified suppliers and internal 3D printing departments.
Expert advice on hand
Our Mindware team works with you to harness AM's potential and tackle your most pressing challenges, wherever you are on your adoption journey. From strategic roadmaps and identifying key applications to deploying full-scale production lines, you can count on us to get you there.
Ideal materials for medtech
PA 12 Medical-Grade (PA 2201)
Technology
Selective laser sintering
Description
PA 12 Medical-Grade offers high strength, chemical resistance, and detail resolution, making it ideal for high-quality and fully-functional biocompatible plastic parts for settings such as operating rooms. This material is subjected to testing for cytotoxicity, sensitization, irritation, acute systemic toxicity, and material-mediated pyrogenicity.
Key characteristics
- Biocompatible material
- High strength and stiffness
- Good chemical resistance
- High selectivity and detail resolution
- Max part dimensions: 170 x 215 x 320 mm
PA 12 (SLS)
Technology
Selective laser sintering
Description
PA 12 (SLS) is a general-purpose material that offers excellent long-term stability and good chemical resistance, making it suitable for functional prototypes and end-use parts, as well as consumer goods.
Key characteristics
- Strong, general-purpose material printed without a support structure
- High strength and stiffness
- High chemical, mechanical, and thermal resistance
- Fast Lane service available for online orders of PA 12 (SLS) – Normal finish
- Max part dimensions: 630 x 330 x 550 mm
- Max part dimensions (Fast Lane orders): 270 x 270 x 270 mm
PA 2241 FR
Technology
Selective laser sintering
Description
PA 2241 FR is a high-performance, flame-retardant polyamide. Its excellent long-term stability and good chemical resistance make it ideal for functional prototypes or end-use parts.
Key characteristics
- Strong material printed without a support structure
- Flame retardant — CS/FAR 25.853 compliant, available in Airbus certified grade, according to AIPI 03-07-022
- Excellent long-term stability and high chemical resistance
- Max part dimensions: 630 x 330 x 550 mm
PC-ISO
Technology
Fused deposition modeling
Description
This biocompatible polycarbonate material is known for its high strength and stiffness. Its versatility, durability, and dimensional stability make it ideal for everything from heavy-duty prototypes in industries like aerospace and automotive to small series of end-use medtech parts.
Key characteristics
- High strength and stiffness, ideal for parts exposed to constant stress and heavy loads
- Excellent heat resistance, making it suitable for use in high-temperature environments
- Good chemical resistance and dimensional stability
- Max part dimensions: 914 x 610 x 914 mm
ABS-like Polyurethanes
Technology
Vacuum casting
Description
Offering a range of different material properties, our ABS-like polyurethanes can be used with silicone molds to produce high-quality prototypes or small series of end-use parts.
Key characteristics
- Excellent surface and detail, with injection-molded look and feel
- Flame-retardant, food-safe, and UV-stable materials available
- Cost-effective way to produce prototypes or small series of end-use parts
- Max part dimensions: 1,900 x 900 x 750 mm (maximum part volume: 10 liters)
Stainless Steel (SS316L)
Technology
Metal 3D printing
Description
Stainless Steel (SS316L) is a low-carbon stainless steel alloy that offers excellent strength, high corrosion resistance and ductility, and good thermal properties, making it suitable for general prototyping.
Key characteristics
- Excellent strength
- High corrosion, temperature, and chemical resistance
- High ductility
- Suitable for food-safe applications
- Max part dimensions: 250 x 250 x 305 mm
Titanium (Ti₆Al₄V)
Technology
Metal 3D printing
Description
Ti₆Al₄V is a lightweight titanium alloy with excellent mechanical strength and superior corrosion resistance, making it ideal for functional prototypes and high-performance end-use parts.
Key characteristics
- Excellent mechanical properties
- Lightweight, with a high strength-to-weight ratio
- High corrosion and temperature resistance
- Suitable for post-machining
- Max part dimensions: 250 x 250 x 305 mm
Typical 3D printing applications in medtech
Housings and enclosures
Create unique and customized housings made fit for purpose with production-grade materials. With technologies like 3D printing and vacuum casting, you can adapt designs quickly and easily to keep up with changing requirements and produce the parts you need in short series.
Orthotics and prosthetics
Every patient has a unique gait and body. Their orthotics, prosthetics, and assistive devices should be just as personal. With the design freedom of 3D printing, you can create custom structures and fit-for-purpose products made specifically for each patient, ensuring better results and greater comfort.
Technical components and consumables
Take advantage of 3D printing’s design freedom to create highly performant technical components made fit for purpose and performance, and single-use items such as microsurgery instruments. Key benefits for this application include no minimum order quantity, the ability to create personalized designs, and AM's intrinsic sustainability.
Handheld devices
For innovative handheld medical devices like HOYA’s Vision Simulator, going from prototype to final design can be an expensive and lengthy process. With 3D printing, you can reduce time-to-market, produce low volumes affordably, and easily adjust the design to respond to market feedback.
3D surgical planning
Plan and simulate surgical procedures to enhance predictability and improve patient outcomes using fully accurate 3D-printed models.
Research and development
Engineer on anatomy to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow.
Implants and devices
Design your custom implants and devices based on patient-specific anatomy to deliver the best patient fit.
Our products and services for medtech
Ready to start your project with us? Discover our solutions, ideal for medtech.
Innovate and speed up your manufacturing in collaboration with our experts. Rely on our full range of in-house technologies suitable for all industries and applications.
Transform your product development cycle and get the best possible products to market faster. Get unbiased advice and dedicated support from teams committed to your success.
Get direct 24/7 access to the technologies and materials you need to bring your designs to life. Instant quotes, short lead-times, and easy checkout.
Build your success on a platform of software tools that efficiently manage and control the 3D printing process, allowing you to meet the highest standards of the most demanding industries.
Work with our experts to translate your business challenges into 3D printing opportunities and identify the applications that can help you meet your needs.
From bespoke surgical knee guides to true-to-life 3D-printed models of the human heart, our medical software and printing facilities are helping to bring personalized healthcare to everyone.
Discover the precise and seamless digital workflow designed by foot and ankle experts for foot and ankle experts based on scientific research
Frequently asked questions
Inspiration
Get inspired for your next project with a look at how others have used 3D printing for medtech.
Other industries we work in
Navigate the future of aerospace with shorter lead times, more affordable small series production, and the unrivaled design freedom that additive manufacturing can offer.
From quick, performant prototypes and visual models to small series manufacturing and automotive tooling, tick every box by bringing 3D printing into existing or new production workflows.
Enter a new era of more sustainable, on-demand manufacturing where creativity and innovation have no boundaries and where quick time-to-market, and zero stock-risk, boost business agility.