Formlabs Adds Cutting-Edge Flexible BioMed and Dental Resins

Somerville, MA, Oct 10, 2023 – Today, leading 3D printing company Formlabs introduces three healthcare-focused materials to its library with BioMed Elastic 50A Resin, BioMed Flex 80A Resin, and IBT Flex Resin. The two new BioMed materials will expand the applications for 3D printing in healthcare, reducing the time and costs associated with traditional production methods, such as molding, for surgical models, medical devices, and more. Additionally, IBT Flex Resin is designed with tear-resistant, accurate, and transparent properties for dental applications  including 3D printed direct composite restoration guides and indirect bonding trays. 

Since the pandemic, 3D printing applications in healthcare and dental have grown, with leading facilities, health networks, and providers turning to 3D printers and medical materials to satisfy demand for patient care to solve supply chain challenges. Formlabs 3D printed nasal swabs were one of the highest volume 3D print applications in history, produced in millions since the pandemic. As providers continue recognizing the benefits of patient-specific care that is possible with 3D printing, Formlabs is supporting the momentum with new materials that will reduce production costs and time, expanding access to patient-specific, directly 3D printed dental guides, surgical models, medical components, and medical devices.

“Adoption of 3D printing is accelerating in healthcare and dentistry, bringing patients the benefit of personalized care that improves comfort and outcomes,” said Formlabs President of Healthcare Guillaume Bailliard. “Formlabs’ materials development team is dedicated to delivering new materials and solutions that will advance 3D printing in healthcare and dental workflows and expand the possibilities for patient-specific care. By adding these new flexible and elastomeric materials to our extensive biocompatible and dental materials library, we are ushering in a new wave of personalized healthcare and digital dentistry that will bring the benefits directly to patients.”

New Flexible BioMed Materials for Devices, Models, and More

BioMed Elastic 50A Resin and BioMed Flex 80A Resin are cutting-edge biocompatible materials with ISO 10993 and USP Class VI certifications that enable an expanded personalized approach to healthcare. These materials are suited for long-term skin contact and short-term mucosal membrane contact for flexible patient-matched medical device components, comfortable medical devices, as well as tissue medical models for surgeons to reference in the operating room. Each material delivers varying flexibility to suit different applications:

• BioMed Elastic 50A Resin: A soft and elastic material for applications requiring comfort,  biocompatibility, and transparency. The material’s elasticity will suit mass-personalized medical devices requiring long-term skin contact and patient-specific fit, soft-tissue models, gastrointestinal models for fluidics visualization, or complex neurovascular models for surgeons to reference in the operating room.

• BioMed Flex 80A Resin: A firm, flexible, medical-grade material for applications requiring durability, biocompatibility, and transparency. The ability to directly print this medical-grade resin will reduce workflow times by eliminating molding to directly produce flexible, patient-specific medical devices or firm tissue medical models surgeons can reference in the operating room.

IBT Flex Resin: Bringing Enhanced Flexibility for Dental and Orthodontic Applications

IBT Flex Resin is a Class I FDA registered, biocompatible material that delivers consistent, predictable outcomes for printing highly accurate, indirect bonding trays and direct composite restoration guides. With enhanced flexibility, tear resistance, and translucency, this material will enable dental labs and clinics to save time and costs while maintaining the accuracy needed for the seamless and precise application of orthodontic brackets and restorative composite materials.

BioMed Elastic 50A Resin, BioMed Flex 80A Resin, and IBT Flex Resin are available now for Form 3B/+ and Form 3BL printers.

About Formlabs

Formlabs designs and manufactures powerful and accessible 3D printing systems. Headquartered in Boston with offices in Germany, Japan, and China, the company was founded in 2011 by a team of engineers and designers from the MIT Media Lab and Center for Bits and Atoms. Formlabs is establishing the industry benchmark for professional 3D printing for engineers, designers, and manufacturers around the globe, and accelerating innovation in a variety of industries, including education, dentistry, healthcare, jewelry, and research. Formlabs products include the Form 2 SLA 3D printer, Fuse 1 SLS 3D printer, Form Cell manufacturing solution, and Pinshape marketplace of 3D designs. Formlabs also develops its own suite of high-performance materials for 3D printing, as well as best-in-class 3D printing software.

Formlabs Media Contact
Laura Shubel
BIGfish Communications for Formlabs
[email protected]