3DCERAM Sinto and SINTX Technologies enter ceramic AM collaboration

3DCERAM Sinto, a turnkey provider for additive manufacturing of advanced ceramics, and SINTX Technologies, a manufacturer of advanced ceramics for biomedical and technical markets, have entered a collaboration to develop multiple novel resins and processes for the additive manufacturing of ceramic products. These two companies plan to leverage and further develop their existing expertise to produce unique, high-value resins, 3D print ceramic components, and subject those components to advanced thermal processing. The collaboration is focused on the biomedical and investment casting industries.

“We are excited about the possibilities of creating a silicon nitride-based resin for the biomedical market. With interest in silicon nitride medical devices continuing to grow rapidly, we believe 3D printed silicon nitride devices will play a major role in the future of medical and technical segments in which we participate,” said Dr. Sonny Bal, CEO of SINTX Technologies. “We believe that SINTX’s resin formulation and densification expertise, combined with 3DCeram’s production scale printers, will provide the market with components of superior quality.”

Sharing rich histories in advanced ceramics and additive manufacturing, SINTX and 3DCeram expect the results of their collaboration to drive expanded geographical adoption of additively manufactured advanced ceramics.

“There has been interest for these types of capabilities across the globe. The investment casting industry specifically has a strong need for silica-based resin. If we are successful, this collaboration will provide game-changer solutions within these industries,” said Michael Halsband, CEO of Sinto America.

This is not the first time that SINTX ventured into the realm of ceramic AM. In 2022, the company leveraged the unique properties of its Flex SN PEEK silicon nitride composite to 3D print medical implant devices with exceptional biocompatibility, resulting in high rates of acceptance and long-term implant success.

That time the company used the FleX-SN PEEK silicon nitride-PEEK composite in a standard polymer material extrusion 3D printing technology. This technology allowed medical device manufacturers, such as SINTX, a high degree of intricacy and customization. With 3D printing, implantable medical devices can be created to match very complex structures within a patient’s anatomy.