Medical Device Link.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Electron-beam melting technology from Arcam AB enables the production of dense and functional titanium parts for surgical and implantable use.

Rapid manufacturing and prototyping equipment developer Arcam AB (Mölndal, Sweden) has installed its first electron-beam melting (EBM) system at a medical company in the United States. Medical Modeling LLC (Golden, CO), a supplier of rapid prototyping services, will use the EBM S-400 machine to produce titanium models for customers in the medical manufacturing and clinical fields. The technology is especially beneficial in surgical planning and implant development applications, according to the firm.

EBM produces solid metal parts through a proprietary CAD-to-metal process. The parts are built in layers of metal powder; an electron beam melts away extraneous material to achieve the precise geometry defined by a CAD file. Because the process occurs in a vacuum, the parts are completely solid, without imperfections caused by oxidation. Alloy parts are available for functional testing or installation.

The EBM process allows medical device OEMs to reduce or eliminate nondigital technologies when moving from the product design phase to the fabrication of a fully functional metal part, according to Andy Christensen, president of Medical Modeling. “We looked for years for a technology provider that could help us create complex models in titanium,” he adds. “[This system] allows us to meet a unique market niche.”

Arcam systems are distributed in North America by Stratasys Inc. (Minneapolis, MN, USA), which also manufactures rapid prototyping and manufacturing systems.

For more information about EBM technology, contact Arcam AB, Krokslätts Fabriker 30, SE-431 37 Mölndal, Sweden; phone: +46 31 7103200; fax: +46 31 7103201; Internet: www.arcam.com.