Lithoz installs CeraFab Multi 2M30 printer at IPM CAS

The Institute of Physics of Materials of the Czech Academy of Sciences (IPM CAS) has purchased the first Lithoz CeraFab Multi 2M30 printer in the Czech Republic. Lithoz, a leader in high-performance ceramic 3D printing technology, has completed the installation at the renowned IPM CAS facilities, where the machine will support research within the MEBioSys project (Reg. number: CZ.02.01.01/00/22_008/0004634). This program, co-funded by the EU and the Czech Republic’s Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MEYS), focuses on developing hierarchical structures with sensory capabilities for use in biological and engineering applications such as bone implants.

These advanced 3D structures, which were previously impossible to achieve with conventional methods, will pave the way for the creation of innovative medical solutions, particularly in the field of bio-inspired sensor-integrated bone implants. Those smart ceramic medical devices will integrate piezoelectric sensor elements into the bioceramic structure, allowing for the monitoring of implants within the body without the need for further invasive procedures. Doctors will be able to assess the implant’s performance and detect potential issues in real-time, providing patients with patient-specific care.

A second research topic will pose smart adaptive aircraft wings able to optimize vibration behavior. Ideally synchronized to the trajectory of the aircraft, electrical current is sent through conductive layers, influencing the wing’s stiffness to shift resonance to a point less critical for the lifespan of turbines.

“As a result of our previous work, we recognized the need for a multi-material 3D printing solution to produce the complex structures required for our research,“ said Dr. Zdeněk Chlup, Head of Brittle Fracture Group at IPM CAS. “The CeraFab Multi 2M30’s ability to print two materials in a single layer opens up a world of possibilities, especially in the integration of piezo-electric ceramics with metals and polymers. This technology will enable us to advance our research in ways we couldn’t before.“

The Lithoz CeraFab Multi 3D printer is capable of combining different materials, such as ceramic with metal or two different ceramics with varying properties, in one single functional part – and even within one single printed layer. In just one print run, entirely opposing material properties or varying porosities can be flexibly and functionally combined, including, for example, conductive and insulating properties.