Himed, a leading US-based manufacturer of bioceramic materials, and Lithoz, global market leader in ceramic 3D printing technology, have announced the joint launch of a new Bioceramics Center of Excellence™ (BCoE) at Himed’s New York headquarters. The BCoE will offer a holistic approach to R&D with bioceramics for medical device manufacturers by integrating various analytical services to support the rapid prototyping process. The newly founded institution unites Himed’s impressive three decades of expertise in innovating bioceramics for efficient human bone healing with the new dimension of design freedom offered by the ultra-precise Lithoz LCM ceramic 3D printing technology.
The launch is timely; with increased life expectancy, the increased demand for bioceramic materials in healthcare and dental care—primarily in the form of implants—means the global bioceramic industry is expected to reach a milestone of USD 10.2 billion by 2028. With the launch of this BCoE, Lithoz LCM technology will provide the key technology to extending Himed’s capabilities into rapid prototyping and expanding its offerings for medical device manufacturers, including those in 3D-printed implants. The center will provide a comprehensive suite of services, including design support and optimization, SEM imaging, material analysis and characterization, biomaterial customization, and bioceramic 3D printing using a Lithoz CeraFab S65 Medical printer.
„Lithoz’s technology is unlike anything else out there — they’ve solved some meaningful challenges in this field, and their printers can take you from concept all the way through production. That’s going to open up new avenues for invention in implant design,“ says Dana Barnard, CEO of Himed.
The company aims to promote the development of innovative manufacturing processes for bioceramic materials and help customers explore new compositions and manufacturing techniques that may have been previously out of reach for some companies. The BCoE will particularly benefit medtech startups and other businesses looking to cost-effectively prototype and optimize designs that use bioceramics. „Before investing in a medical 3D printer,” explains Himed President Craig Rosenblum, “companies can effectively lease time on one, along with the support and materials expertise of Himed’s engineers and scientists supporting them from concept through optimization.”
This milestone follows the strategic partnership announced last year between Lithoz and Himed. The partnership, a testament to the companies‘ shared vision and commitment to innovation, outlined plans for an R&D collaboration to design new slurries for use in Lithoz’s ceramic medical-grade 3D printers, setting the stage for the BCoE’s future success. Dr. Johannes Homa, CEO of Lithoz, says, “This new Bioceramics Center of Excellence will open up a new chapter in 3D-printed medical applications for North America! We are excited to be the technology partner enabling Himed’s bioceramic innovation – with the combination of Himed’s experience and Lithoz technology, new applications will certainly be enabled which are currently unthinkable.”
