Medical, Bioprinting and Dental 3D Printing Experts Show Off 3D Printing Applications at Maastricht Conferences

The series of 3D Printing conferences organized by Jakajima, that 3D Printing Business Directory and 3D Printing Media Network media partnered with this year, proved successful in attracting a very broad target of researchers, students, companies and enthusiasts form all over the world to explore the state of the art in medical, dental, pharmaceutical and biological 3D printing.

The show saw a number of exhibitors, including companies operating at different levels of the blooming 3D bioprinting hardware industry, such as EnvisionTEC, CELLINK and Rokit, each showing off their hardware systems. It was a great opportunity to see the EnvsionTEC 3D bioplotter professional level and CELLINK’s Inkredible low cost bioprinter at work (see videos below). Several metal 3D printer manufacturers, including 3D Systems Leuven (formerly Layerwise), Renishaw and SLM Solutions were also showing off theri solutions for dental and medical metallic implants.

The main attraction was certainly represented by the conferences themselves, which unfortunately were running on as many as three concurring parallel tracks, meaning it was necessary to make a selections of which to attend. The organization of the relatively low-key show was however highly professional as was the level of the presentations, which attracted a broad range of participants from both industry and academia.

The program included a 3D Bioprinting Conference with speakers from University of Cambridge University of Pennsylvania, University of Zurich and more, as well as a 3D Dental Printing Conference with speakers from Z3DLAB, University of Perugia, EOS, UZ Leuven, University of Nottingham, ACTA discussing 3D Printed dental implants; dental 3D printing with biocompatible materials; 3D scanning systems; metal dental restorations; 3D virtual orthognathic surgery and more. While bioprinting discussed mainly they theoretical future applications as well as the great potential for research, the dental track explored real business opportunities in what is already a consolidated market practice.

The program of the second day saw the 3D Medtech Printing Conference with speakers from Stratasys, ONVZ Health Insurance, Mobilab and  Maastricht University Medical Centre tackling topics such as 3D-Printing in Cardiovascular Surgery; Design and printing of orthopaedic devices; PRinting PERsonalized orthopaedic implantS and more.

The day also included the 3D Medicine & Pharmaceutics Printing Conference track with contributions from TEVA ratiopharm, FabRx, Åbo Akademi University, Dewallens & Partners Law Firm, University of Hertfordshire, University of Sheffield discussing the Potential of 3D printed medicines for paediatric and geriatric use; Legal issues around 3D printed drugs; Designing compartmental pharmaceutical products based on 3D printing; Emergence of 3D printed dosage forms. The Pharmaceutical 3D printing track in particular showed off an impressive number of research project with realistic short term commercial applications.

Another set of conferences taking place at the Brightlands Chemelot Campus explored 4D Printing & Meta Materials Conference, followed by a 3D Printing Materials Conference on February 2nd where specialists from Shapeways, Ultimaker, Hewlett-Packard, Chemson Pacific/Australia, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, e-Xstream engineering gathered to discuss 3D-printable PVC; Materials for fused filament fabrication; Materials for HP Multijet Fusion Technology.