From the on-demand production of additive manufacturing (AM) powders through degradable implants and efficient robotic post-processing: The award-winning innovations are shining examples of the high innovative power of 3D printing and the AM market. The international winners, who will all present themselves to the AM world at Formnext 2022, are Photosynthetic (The Netherlands), Lattice Medical (France), Rivelin Robotics (UK), SphereCube (Italy) and Alpha Powders (Poland). The AM Ventures Impact Award also went to Lattice Medical.

The innovations of these start-ups were selected both for the high level of creativity demonstrated in product development as well as the viability of the business models. The start-ups were able to provide proof of existing patents or patents pending and also demonstrated extremely promising applications.

Warsaw-based start-up Alpha Powders (booth 12.0-B81G) has developed and patented a technology for the pulverization, spheroidization and on-demand modification of polymer powders. The company’s current focus is the development of a compact device specifically for R&D laboratories working on new SLS powders. The prototype has been tested with a variety of materials, including polyamides, TPU, or polyolefin powders, and has been proven to reliably produce spherical SLS powders by dry process. The company continues to develop this technology and aims to offer pilot and production scale solutions in the coming years.

Lattice Medical (booth 12.0-B81B) is a biomedical start-up that was founded in October 2017. The French company has developed a patented 3D technology in cooperation with CHU Lille-France that enables the natural regeneration of adipose tissue, bringing enormous improvements in breast implant procedures, for example. The Mat(t)isse bioprosthesis is made of 3D-printed biomaterials, is fully bioabsorbable, and is adapted to the individual morphology of the patient. Breasts are thus entirely reconstructed from the patient’s own tissue, and no foreign bodies are introduced.

Photosynthetic (booth 12.0-B81H) specializes in fast and cost-effective micro 3D printing. 3D microstructures are generally fabricated using conventional methods such as two-photon lithography (TPL or 2PL), stereolithography (SLA), and optical grayscale lithography (OGL). The Dutch start-up’s patented technology, on the other hand, uses an optical hardware system, resins based on single-photon polymerization, and computer algorithms to control the printing process. Photosynthetic’s new micro 3D printer enables fast microfabrication (50 mm³/hour) in high-resolution mode (<1 µm).

With its NetShape robots, British start-up Rivelin Robotics (booth 12.0-B41) has developed a solution for the rapid post-processing of additively manufactured metal parts and components. In many metal AM applications, post-processing contributes upwards of thirty percent of unit cost per part. For support removal and targeted finishing, Rivelin has developed NetShape Robots, driven by the powerful NetShape control software which uses both machine learning and traditional deterministic control theory. The result is an automated support removal solution that reduces defects by ninety percent, results in a ten-fold reduction in operational costs, and eliminates human risk and variability.

Italian start-up SphereCube (booth 12.0-B81A) has developed 3D printing technology that is able to process polymer-based composite materials or a thermosetting matrix with continuous fiber reinforcement, thus enabling the automated manufacture of products from high-performance composites in any desired shape. According to the company, its technology differs from the processes currently available by curing the plastic under heat, which improves wetting and bonding of the fiber reinforcements, matrix, and the 3D-printed layers.

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