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Regemat3D Launches its New Bioreactors for Maturing Tissues

One of Spain’s leading biotech companies, Regemat3D, has been developing custom biofabrication systems and regenerative medicine solutions since 2011 to fulfill unique research requirements and offer customized solutions for patients’ needs. Now, the Granada-based startup has launched a new service to produce bioreactors for maturing tissues.

The bioreactors are called Bmap’s, which is short for bioreactors that mimic anatomy and physiology, and are expected to satisfy the demand of a large number of users that require them for growing organisms under controlled conditions. In fact, the demand for these devices has grown significantly in the past years, and Regemat3D plans to develop these mechanobiology devices to create functional tissues for the dynamic 3D culture that uses bioprinting methods, offering a favorable environment for increased growth and proliferation of cell cultures and extracellular matrix (ECM) production.

José Baena, Spanish entrepreneur and founder of Regemat3D said of the new initiative: “The potential of bioprinting is immense, but the industry is missing one part of the procedure, the maturation. A 3D printed scaffold with cells is not a tissue, we need a maturation procedure in a bioreactor in order to promote the tissue formation.”

Regemat3D’s premise has always been to “do not adapt your research to a device.” In fact, the company’s engineers will adapt the device to a customers’ particular research so that they can have better outcomes. The company claims that the selection of the right ingredients or bioinks and bioprinting procedure will be very important in the success of the creation of functional living tissues. However, Baena suggests that “if we think about bioprinting as a technology to recreate all the structures in the same form as shown in living tissue, we are going to fail.” Further highlighting that scientists need to think about bioprinting as a way of creating cell-laden 3D constructs as a precursor to functional tissue, while the maturation and tissue formation process will be as important or even more so than bioprinting.

According to the company, their environment-controlled bioreactors provide optimal nutrients and gases to growing cells and also trigger cellular mechanotransduction signaling pathways to stimulate tissue remodeling onto 3D scaffolding. The systems integrate sensors and actuators to control parameters, such as CO2, pH, humidity, and O2 to apply mechanical signals, like traction, compression, shear stresses, light, and ultrasound.

“The lack of tissue regeneration in human beings, the deficiency of allogeneic transplants and the higher mortality rate of people with organ dysfunction as we see these days with COVID-19, make the creation of functional tissues in the laboratory one of the most important problems for humanity right now,” indicated Baena. “We also need tissue samples that replicate human histology to develop new drugs faster, cheaper and without the use of animal models. However, the results obtained are still less than desired. Even though, the variety of commercial systems now available to researchers has increased, as well as the number of publications, the results obtained are still far from true clinical applications.”

Researchers trying out the bioreactor at the lab (Image: Regemat3D)

Moreover, Baena describes that “a common misconception that the industry has is the belief that we need to directly create functional tissue, but in reality, we are creating a matrix loaded with cells. The key here is to make these cells behave as they do in vivo and to promote the creation of functional tissues, which requires defining the right biofabrication and maturation strategy.”

Thereby, Regemat3D experts believe that in order to create living tissue, both the bioprinting process and the maturation of the construct are crucial. Recreating human adult conditions in the lab or the stimuli that occur during embryogenesis will move the results of tissue engineering closer to clinical applications.

The Bmap bioreactor (Image: Regemat3D)

The entrepreneur also pointed out that real-life experience helps researchers understand that mechanical stress distribution is crucial as a stimulus to create the right tissue. Thereby, he considers the selection of the right ingredients and the bioprinting procedure as a very important part of the success of creating functional tissues, and the maturation procedure applied to the 3D cell-laden constructs even more important.

“This approach will open a wide research area for tissue engineers to develop protocols with different stimuli to create functional tissues, either using direct or indirect bioprinting methods, such as using molds as temporal containers, fiber structure holding loads and a cell-friendly matrix, even adipose tissue containing blood vessels allowing the generation of functional, vascularized and ready to use tissues and organs.”

The new custom device provided by the company will address a broad range of tissue engineering processes and cell culture applications including that of single cells on microcarriers and slow-growing cell types with unsurpassed cell quality. Regemat3D expects their systems will accelerate cell growth, differentiation, and cell proliferation, mimicking native ECM in homogenous cell culture at the surface and core of the 3D scaffolds creating functional new living tissue.

The company also expects it will be used by research institutes, hospitals, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies in a wide range of applications, such as bone regeneration, biomedical testing, adipose tissue for breast reconstruction, bone marrow stromal cells, cartilage regeneration, heart patch research, co-culture human fetal mesenchymal stem cells (hfMSC) and co-culturing with endothelial progenitor cells (EPC), and even stem cell expansion.

One of Regemat3D’s case studies involves a patented bioreactor, the Bmap Knee, that reproduces the in vivo conditions of the knee to generate functional cartilage, controlling the parameters, like the temperature. While another bioreactor, the Bmap Artery, mimicks in vivo conditions to generate functional arteries in vitro, controlling parameters such as flow and rotation for cell adhesion. Both of them are available via Regemat3D’s online shop, along with other customized bioreactors that the company is fully ready to develop.

With so much work ahead for researchers in the field of biofabrication and enough pressure surmounting from the public to find novel solutions to common problems and diseases, perhaps devices like Regemat3D’s bioreactors could eventually help improve the lives of millions of people. Baena considers “it’s worth the time and effort.”

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Carbon Fiber Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate Composite (CF-ASA): New Material for Large Format Additive Manufacturing

Researchers from Spain are studying materials for more effective large-scale 3D printing, outlining their findings in the recently published ‘Development of carbon fiber acrylonitrile styrene acrylate composite for large format additive manufacturing.’

While 3D printing on the micro- and nanoscale is extremely popular among researchers today, the authors point out that large format additive manufacturing (LFAM) for the industrial user is usually centered around the fabrication of parts that may reach several cubic meters. For this type of production, 3D printers must be accompanied by optimized materials that are suitable for service requirements yet demonstrate high printability.

Today, acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA) is a thermoplastic often being used in LFAM due to excellence in mechanical properties and wettability. ASA also has very good weather resistance and is already used widely in automotive and outdoor applications. Similar materials such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) are extremely popular too due to strength, stiffness, and processability.

“Other technical materials such as polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyphenylsulfone (PPSU), polyamide (PA), polyether ether ketone (PEEK) or polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG) have been also tested in these technologies,” state the authors. “However, their high cost and hard processability restrict their employment to few applications.”

Structure of ASA polymer Based on [41].

In this study, the researchers evaluate ASA and carbon fiber (CF) composites for LFAM, comparing neat ASA to AS with 20 wt% carbon fiber. The following samples were 3D printed on an SDiscovery Cartesian printer.

Discovery LFAM device property of Navantia S.A., S.M.E. (placed at Bay of Cadiz Shipyard, Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain). Adapted from [12].).

Samples printed along the two different configurations studied: a) neat ASA sample printed along X direction outside the printer (XY plane displayed, being the Z-direction perpendicular to the image plane (outwards)); and b) ASA 20CF sample printed along Z direction inside the printer. X, Y and Z directions are indicated at the images.

The following samples were created:

Five normalized tensile samples
Five flexural test samples
Ten non-notched impact pieces
Two thermal conductivity discs

Mechanical, rheological and thermal properties of the studied neat ASA and ASA composite.

The composites were examined regarding mechanical, rheological, and thermal properties.

“The mechanical properties were addressed by testing injected tensile, flexural and impact pieces. The melting flow rate (MFR) and the glass transition temperature (Tg), determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), were measured for the two compositions,” explained the authors. “The thermal conductivity was measured using cylindrical injected discs. In a second step, X and Z printed specimens were analyzed by tensile and flexural tests, assessing the influence of the printing orientation in the mechanical properties of both, neat ASA and ASA 20CF.

“Specifically, tensile tested samples were study at the fractured surface of printed specimens aiming to discuss and correlate microstructural features with differentiated mechanical performance of the two materials.”

SEM images show that carbon fibers are well-integrated into the polymer matrix, occurring even after the tensile test.

“A pronounced anisotropy, negligible in injected pieces, is observed in the mechanical properties. A maximum UTS of 60 ± 4 MPa is achieved for X orientation in ASA CF composite, while the flexural tests results are similar, even higher, than for injected parts,” concluded the researchers. “This increase might be attributed to the laminar character of the pieces and the preferential alignment of polymer chains.

“A prealignment of the fibers along the printing deposition direction was observed; likely imposing a physical barrier in Z direction avoiding polymer diffusion and explaining this behavior. The addition of CF results in higher roughness porosity and inner-bead porosity, while reducing the inter-bead porosity. The inner-bead is usually considered as an intrinsic defect of extrusion processes, whereas the observed roughness and inter-bead porosity are characteristic of printing procedures.”

SEM images of the fracture surface of ASA 20CF after a) flexural fracture at liquid nitrogen temperature (without mechanical test); b) tensile test and c) detail of the bonding interface between ASA and CF.

The study of composites continues to expand within the 3D printing realm, as researchers explore a wide variety of materials from bronze PLA composites to products that are bioinspired, to combinations of materials integrated with sensors, and far more.

What do you think of this news? Let us know your thoughts! Join the discussion of this and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com.

[Source / Images: ‘Development of carbon fiber acrylonitrile styrene acrylate composite for large format additive manufacturing’]

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Camper Spanish Footwear is Designed on 3D Printers on the Island of Mallorca

3D printing—specifically with the use of BCN3D’s 3D Sigma and Sigmax printers—has allowed Spanish footwear multinational, Camper, to journey down paths they never expected with their line of footwear; experiencing so many of the benefits of this progressive (and often seemingly futuristic) technology they are now able to create designs that previously may have been impossible—not to mention the element of flexibility they are enjoying with materials, as well as the ability to fabricate new iterations on the spot.

Based on the Island of Mallorca, in Spain, Camper’s team has become immersed in 3D printing and additive manufacturing, with creativity flowing daily amidst their on-site desktop printers. In a recent case study, they explained that with the ‘giant leap’ into 3D printing, their team was able to enhance their design capabilities, along with ‘streamlining the creative processes of future collections.’

Each set of footwear is designed a year ahead of time, and the Camper team states that their shoes offer a geometric complexity, requiring technology capable of manufacturing their men’s, women’s, and children’s collections with great accuracy.

“Working with a 3D printer is very useful because if we have an idea in mind, together with a technician, we can obtain quick and direct results for the dimensions of components. This enhances our ability to be reactive,” said Job Willemsen, Senior Designer at Camper.

The 3D Sigma and Sigmax printers allow the Camper team to use materials flexible and capable enough of rendering extremely realistic prototypes. They can design products more rapidly, with even higher quality. The need for molds is eliminated, and intricate design elements can be integrated into new products.

“Because we have a dual-extruder system, we can use water-soluble print material. As a result, we can work with more complex geometric shapes and reduce design time for the collection,” said Jordi Guirado, Product Engineer at Camper.

The design process at Camper these days involves the team getting together and discussing new shapes for designs—each day—with their technical department. The team then creates 3D printed models, which are ready by the next day. This level of speed registers in stark comparison with more conventional methods that meant models and prototypes might not be ready for up to a month. Now, decision-making amongst the team is more rapid, and both designs and the impending results are greatly improved. Products are lightweight, ergonomic—and accommodate what customers are requesting these days.

“With various 3D printers on site, Camper’s designers now have new designs literally in the palms of their hands. This is a huge advantage for designers because they can now validate volumes, dimensions and geometric shapes that they could not visualize with a digital model. If designers can print a shoe model in 3D the next day, the design team can take their creative potential further,” said Xavier Martínez Faneca, CEO of BCN3D. “With collaboration, they can really achieve the product they are looking for.”

Camper has been around since 1975, created by Lorenzo Fluxa. His goal was to create footwear unlike any other—with his foundation rooted in the shoemaking business of his family—beginning with his grandfather in 1877, who brought the first sewing machines to Mallorca. Fast forward to the present, and Camper shoes are still made in Mallorca. The team crafts about 500 models each season—with one difference these days: they are in stores in over 40 countries!

3D printing is having a huge impact on the fashion, and footwear industry, from high heels to ballet shoes and athletic shoes.

What do you think of this news? Let us know your thoughts! Join the discussion of this and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com.

[Source / Images: Camper case study]

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Pioneering 3D Printed Wrist Prosthesis for Kienbock’s Disease

With sights set on helping medicine solve complex pathologies, the Spanish-based healthcare company BRECA has become a pioneer in Europe, specializing in the design, manufacture, and marketing of customized implants. The company believes 3D printing for personalized medical devices has major benefits for patients and surgeons, such as less blood loss during the operation, a considerable reduction in surgery time and recovery, shorter time under anesthesia, and basically the possibility of generating a custom implant for better adaptation with more aesthetic results. After a series of successes with maxillofacial and neurosurgical 3D printed medical implants, BRECA began to seriously consider offering their services to surgeons in the field of orthopedics. The company’s first customized solution, a complete wrist bone prosthesis, was 3D printed using titanium in June for implantation on a patient who had no mobility of his right wrist and was in a lot of pain. BRECA worked alongside a team of surgeons at the NeuroTraumatology Hospital and Rehabilitation, which is part of the Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves in Granada, who were able to successfully carry out the procedure and after months of recovery, they have presented their case to the world.

Sergio Lopez, a 28-year-old patient, had been diagnosed with osteonecrosis in his wrist bones, also known as Kienbock’s disease. The rare and debilitating condition is known to lead to chronic pain and dysfunction. This happens when one of the eight small carpal bones in the wrist, the lunate bone, becomes damaged because there is no blood supply. Kienböck’s most commonly affects people aged from 20 to 40 years of age, and it occurs in men more often than in women; untreated, the disease will see the progressive deterioration of the wrist and even loss of function. Scientists and engineers at BRECA are constantly searching for solutions to rare and painful diseases, so this new venture into orthopedics is part of what the company is all about. This relatively new procedure replaces the bone with a prosthetic replica made of a durable material that can preserve the anatomy of the wrist bones. The team of surgeons said that most studies suggested using limited commercial prostheses (which don’t offer much mobility of the wrist) and only found one similar case in China where surgeons used a 3D printed prosthesis to successfully treat the wrist.

“Currently available surgeries lead to a total loss of mobility of the patient’s wrist joint, so we decided to look for alternatives and realized that recreating the wrist bone of the patient using 3D technology was a good choice to help overcome advanced Kienbock’s disease,” said David Peris, one of the orthopedic surgeons from the Hospital de la Virgen de las Nieves who participated in the procedure.

Surgery of the wrist

The reconstruction process began with an MRI and a CT scan of the patient’s anatomy that needed to undergo surgery; then, BRECA specialists designed the prosthesis using the patient’s healthy semilunar wrist bone on his left hand as the basis. Using CAD software and 3D printed anatomical models for practice, the experts were able to decide where to make the holes in the prosthesis to anchor it to adjacent bones during the operation, using resistant threads to give it the right stability. This was followed by the development of surgical instruments along with the final prosthesis using the company’s custom 3D printing technology. Finally, surgeons Ricardo Cardona Santana, David Peris Puchol, Enrique Miguel López Herrada and Manolo Delgado Alaminos, carried out the resection and implantation surgery. And once Lopez had fully recovered, he underwent months of rehabilitation that helped him regain mobility of his hand.

According to Peris, “the benefits of using 3D printing technologies for the manufacture of prostheses and implants are very promising, as customized anatomical replacements of diseased bones offer great maneuverability and help surgeons tackle problems that have no other solutions today. But we still have to consider that there could be a few drawbacks, such as implant rejection or even prosthetic loosening due to particle disease.”

3D reconstruction of the location of the Semilunar Bone implant

During recovery, surgeons were very pleased with López’s evolution. He went from taking three anti-inflammatories a day to none at all. According to the surgeons, this implies less risk of side effects from the drugs, as well as a reduction in pharmaceutical spending, overall improve the quality of life of the patient. With regard to mobility, surgeons claim that he has already exceeded the range of mobility and use of force that was measured prior to surgery, and even though they still don’t know how far he will recover, if a traditional procedure had been performed (called wrist arthrodesis), he would have no mobility at all.

“The difficulty of the operation is also given by the nature of the bone to be implanted: the semilunar bone is a crescent-shaped wrist bone, with six faces and four of them are articulated. Thanks to 3D modeling and printing technology, we can generate complex implants like this and prepare for the surgery using anatomical models reconstructed from CT scans, that also help the patient understand what will happen during surgery,” indicated Peris.

Over the last few years, BRECA has been involved with surgeons in many hospitals throughout the country, developing implants that would have otherwise been impossible to create. Earlier this year, another knee reconstruction operation at the same hospital, had BRECA participating with a prosthesis development for a 22-year-old patient who suffered massive dissecting osteochondritis and needed treatment of the damaged joint. BRECA experts claim they understand that surgeons have to deal with very complex cases, which is why they hope their know-how and technology can help them with the manufacture of specific implants and prostheses as well as planning for surgeries, manufacturing instruments to prepare biological grafts and even helping predict osteotomies.

Working alongside surgeons BRECA’s first customized solutions for the field of orthopedics seems to be turning out better than expected. Now, the company expects to keep working on their personalized, patient-specific treatments to improve patient healthcare as well as reduce time and costs during surgical procedures.

Sergio Lopez with his surgeons: Ricardo Cardona Santana, David Peris Puchol, Enrique Miguel López Herrada and Manolo Delgado Alaminos

[Image credit: BRECA, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves and EFE]

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Meltio: An International Joining of Forces to Revolutionize the 3D Market

Meltio is a new company specialized in applying additive manufacturing and 3D scanning to industrial sectors such as aerospace, architecture, automotive, medical, education, electronics, and machining. It was set up in mid-2019 as a joint venture with the participation of Additec, an American company based in Las Vegas, Nevada, Sicnova, a Spanish company with a vast history in the 3D field, and with a significant participation of metallurgical giant ArcelorMittal.]

Its goal is to boost the industry by improving productivity, by means of a wide portfolio of connected and scalable technological solutions based on advanced 4D manufacturing and 3D inspection. All this can be summarized with the introduction of its 3E Technology concept: Easy, Efficient and Expandable.

Meltio’s product portfolio offers several complementary alternatives, turning Meltio into a global partner for companies willing to implement 4.0 solutions targeted to make their workflows more efficient. The products catalog includes large format FFF 3D printers, 3D digitalization solutions for inspection and quality control, and also hybrid systems (CNC/robotic engines or modules). This way Meltio will enable the acquisition of digital 3D files to producing plastic prototypes or metal end use parts with great surface finish, and ultimately controlling the quality of the parts with automated inspection systems.

Meltio is soon launching at Formnext2019, one of its flagship solutions: Meltio M450 3D printer. This new printer is based on LMD technology previously used by Additec in its µPrinter. MELTIO M450 uses a high-power multi-laser printhead able to handle metal wire or powder without changing the nozzle. The printer features a very compact format which makes it suitable for desktop environments, with a build volume of 200x150x450 mm.

In the words of the CEO of the company Ángel Llavero, “the joining of forces of Additec, Sicnova and ArcelorMittal will make possible a democratizing access to direct metal 3D printing, by allowing its use to many companies that could not afford it until now”.

Meltio has set up since the beginning as an international company with a clear global vision and offices in United States and Spain. The main headquarters and factory are located in Linares, Jaen (Spain), with the R&D centers in both, the US and Europe.

The company is led by several names with extensive experience in 3D technologies sector. The CEO is Ángel Llavero (also CEO in Sicnova since 2007) and the main board also includes Brian Matthews (CEO of Additec). Also the CRO is Oscar Meza, former Vice-President of Global Sales at Shining3D, Executive Vice-president of Worldwide Sales at Creaform and Vice-President of Sales in Asia-Pacific at Faro Technologies.

Currently Meltio is closing international deals for distributing its portfolio worldwide. The complete range of products will be showcased at Formnext (stand C111, hall 12.1), where it will also host an official presentation the first day of the event (Tuesday, 19th November at 2.30 PM). You can get invitations for visiting the stand at Formnext through Meltio’s website: meltio4d.com.

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REGEMAT 3D Will Start Selling Biomaterials

One of the key players in the bioprinting field in Spain will be incorporating seven new biomaterials. In the coming months, REGEMAT 3D will launch a catalog of biomaterials that customers can buy and use along with their bioprinting systems. According to company officials, in recent years, advances in 3D bioprinting systems have become very important, as well as new biomaterials for regenerative medicine. The performance of the research groups with which they collaborate has produced results that were likely unheard of years ago. Still, they consider that these innovations in bioprinting systems must be accompanied by a progressive definition and characterization of the biomaterials being used. This year, one of REGEMAT 3D’s objective is to advance biomaterials for further research in the different applications derived from the 3D bioprinting sector, which is growing every year.

REGEMAT 3D bioprinting with new biomaterials

Each specific application requires different solutions and appropriate biomaterials to optimize processes. For instance, it is easy to understand that to regenerate skin components, hydrogels, cells and growth factors are different from those needed to regenerate muscle tissue, bone or cornea. So, it is essential to offer researchers and scientists different biomaterials to aid their work. REGEMAT is focusing on seven: thermoplastics, collagens, alginates, agaroses, gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA), nanocellulose, and different types of cell media compatible with the cells used. All of the biomaterials should be easy to print, handle and will allow researchers to tackle some of the challenges they face while working.

The new biomaterials for 3D bioprinting will be available on the company’s web page (which they will relaunch shortly), as well as through their offices. REGEMAT 3D has agreements with several national and international partners for the manufacture of these products. The first ones to be sold commercially will be nanocellulose, collagen, and alginate.

REGEMAT 3D new biomaterials

The Granada, Spain-based biotech company has sold its machines to users in more than 25 countries. For years, the company has been working with research groups at the University of Granada in advanced therapies, participated in a joint project for the development of new therapies for cartilage regeneration, and has collaborated with the University Hospital of La Paz, where REGEMAT 3D’s founder coordinates the 3D Tissue Engineering and Printing Platform (PITI3D), which provides ingredients and processes to generate functional tissues. Since its origin, the startup has been focusing on regenerative medicine, developing custom hardware and software required and demanded by some of the major hospitals and research universities in the region. They develop their own bioprinting systems – the BIO V1 machines – and customize them for their users’ applications according to the requirements of each investigation.

Last January, a group of researchers led by the University of Granada and REGEMAT 3D, published an academic article on the development of a volume-by-volume 3D biofabrication process that divides the printed part into different volumes and injects the cells after each volume has been printed, once the temperature of the printed thermoplastic fibers has decreased. This helps overcome problems that arise when working in 3D bioprinting with thermoplastics at high temperatures: one of the biomaterials they will soon begin commercializing, with which the company is very familiar and has worked with for a long time.

To continue developing new biomaterials and launching new products, the Spanish company, led by founder and CEO José Manuel Baena, has managed to raise 320,000 Euros in the midst of the latest financing round. REGEMAT 3D, along with its sister company Breca, are not only launching the new series of biomaterials, but they are also expanding their presence to Brazil, where the company has already started to market its products, and China, where they closed an agreement with Chinese distributor ApgBio, based in Shanghai, that’s responsible for introducing bioprinting equipment in the country for the regeneration of organs or tissues. Companies like REGEMAT 3D are gearing up to mass produce biomaterials, providing researchers with more options when it comes to bioprinting for regenerative medicine and advanced therapies, usually keeping in mind how patients bodies will react to the new materials, and whether they will be compatible. Spain, like many other European countries, is quickly catching up to the world of bioprinting, which today is led by US-based companies but shows promise in many developed countries.

[Images: REGEMAT 3D]

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Spanish Company BRECA Health Care is at the Forefront of Medical Devices & Bioprinting

In 2018 Spain’s health care system ranked third in the world, behind Hong Kong and Singapore, and first in Europe according to a Bloomberg study, so it’s no wonder that research and development of bioprinting technologies are heavily pushing to make the country a haven for its patients. In 2011, industrial engineer José Manuel Baena funded BRECA, a Granada-based healthcare company with its sights set on helping medicine solve some of the most complex pathologies out there. BRECA is a pioneer in Europe, specializing in the design, manufacture and marketing of customized implants. It is also one of the first companies in the world to manufacture a 3D printed implant using a combination of 3D printed made-to-measure synthetic medical devices and bioprinted structures to regenerate a lesion. It’s all about solving the greatest number of pathologies for Baena.

“There are many diseases in the world and most of us are going to be users of these medical solutions some day, so investing time in creating the necessary equipment to help the medical community is essential,” Baena told 3DPrint.com during an interview.

The founder of BRECA Health Care is also founder and CEO of REGEMAT 3D, a startup focusing on regenerative medicine, developing custom hardware and software required and demanded by some of the mayor hospitals and research universities in the region, as well as creating bioinks for bioprinting -from commercial to bioinks developed with university labs made of cellulose, colagen paste and with thermoplastic properties ideal for cellular therapy. They develop their own bioprinting systems, the BIO V1 machines, and customize them for their users’ applications according to the requirements of each investigation. It was back in 2011 when Baena met Juan Antonio Marchal, a professor at the Biomedical Research Centre (CIBM) of the Universidad de Granada, in Spain, working with cells and looking to make scaffolds and 3D matrices, that his interest in regenerative medicine peaked, so he began creating technology and synthetic materials to make cells that would help doctors repair and regenerate injuries.

REGEMAT 3D’s BIO V1 printer

“I see an exciting future ahead, with 3D printing offering many opportunities and applications in regenerative and therapy medicine. The next stage of bioprinting is to combine several tissues and build in vitro organs, but that could take decades. To get to a point where we can create functional complex solid organs, we need more developments, research, more people interested in using this technology, which is a fascinating tool for in-depth knowledge on the future creation of organs. It is also important to understand how bioreactors and decellularization will help us to develop functional tissues and organs. Which is why we have groups of researchers currently working on these applications, both in the short-term and looking way ahead into the future,” suggested Baena, one of the many enthusiasts who are trying to bridge 3D printing technology with medicine.

There are a lot of opportunities right now for companies like BRECA, like the combination of 3D printed custom made synthetic medical devices and bioprinted structures to regenerate an injury. According to Baena, in the past, if you wanted to do a reconstruction using biomaterials that biodegrade, you were restricted by the geometry and performance of sized medical devices. But now with 3D printing they offer customized solutions even using autologous cells of the patient to enhance the regeneration. REGEMAT 3D’s bioprinting platform is ideal for developing this type of customized options and along with BRECA they are very successful in bringing 3D printed implants and prosthesis to the clinical application with optimum results.

BRECA makes custom made plates, ATM implants, and bone reconstructions

BRECA was one of the pioneer companies in bioprinting, introducing the first bioprinter in the country. Today, they are the only Spanish company that designs and manufactures them on site. They also create bioreactors and in 2018 attempted to engineer cartilage tissue, one of the most promising treatments for articular cartilage defects, thanks to a bioreactor designed to implement a non-invasive real-time monitoring of the neo-cartilage tissue formation processes through ultrasonic signal analysis. Polylactic acid (PLA) scaffolds were printed and seeded with human chondrocytes and then, they were cultured in an ultrasound-integrated bioreactor. The team used a bioreactor system to validate ultrasound data against proliferation, gene expression and quantitative biochemistry of in vitro 3D chondrocytes.

With a total of 200 clinical cases all over the world, BRECA is helping doctors transition to a more customized solution that will improve patients’ lives. Through more personalized treatments, reducing complex surgical times and costs, the company is using 3D printing technologies for reconstruction of injuries in cranioplasty, maxillofacial, bone and cartilage, pediatric and thoracic surgery, neurosurgery, as well as other reconstructions with tailor-made surgical guides. Various reconstruction surgeries were performed at the University Hospital of La Paz, one of BRECA’s research partners, and where Ramón Cantero and Baena coordinate the 3D Tissue Engineering and Printing Platform (PITI3D), which provides ingredients and processes to generate functional tissues.

REGEMAT 3D printer at work

“Last year we started working with PITI 3D, a fantastic 3D printing platform for tissue engineering at one of the most innovative hospitals in Spain. We offer solutions for patients, medical doctors and scientists in regenerative medicine applications. Our current projects include skin regeneration, specifically for a pediatric pathology known as butterfly skin (a genetic mutation that results in skin blistering); Kit Lab on a chip for antitumor treatments, and manufacturing custom-made medical devices for complex surgeries at the University Hospital of La Paz (which we do through BRECA),” suggested Baena, who recently graduated with his PhD in Biomedicine.

REGEMAT 3D printer at University of Iowa lab

Among the top 10 bioprinting companies in the world, BRECA has over 50 active projects in 25 countries, including the University of Sydney, Australia, the University of Iowa, in the U.S., the Paper and Fibre Research Institute of Sweden, Virgen del Rocio Hospital in Seville and Colombia´s National Institute of Rehabilitation. They have participated in many neurosurgery processes by developing the made-to-order medical devices for cranioplasty in patients with injuries or cranial defects, as well as jaw reconstructions and other types of bone prosthesis. The custom contoured grafts are made from materials such as titanium or synthetic bone substitutes.

“Many of the other bioprinting companies are selling mass-produced 3D printers but we chose to offer a one-of-a-kind machine for the researcher who wants to create unique bioprints, and this is working quite well for us, because we don’t just want to have our printers in every bioprinting lab, instead we like to be involved in the research being done, get to know the projects and help in any way we can. The BRECA-REGEMAT model is strongly invetsting on the future of clinical applications of additive manufacturing. There has been a continuous growth in bioprinting advances in the last thre years, but I consider that the next five years will see a strong increase in bioprinting discoveries,” says Baena.

With so many applications for bioprinting in the horizon, Baena believes that once we can engineer any human fully functional tissue, the next frontier will lie in uploading our memories, knowledge and consciousness for storage and to eventually regenerate encephalitic mass. He explains that we have the regeneration part down, but we need technologies and processes that will allow us to copy the existing information in the brain so that we can regenerate it too. “Like a backup of our brain”, he calls it. And although the scientist and engineer know that the idea is far fetched and could take years before it actually happens, he believes that “continuous investigation is the key to making the impossible possible.” After all, regenerating tissues was something that sounded quite futuristic some 50 years ago.

The Spanish company believes in the advantages and potential of technology, as well as in its innumerable applications, but there is still a lot of investigation on the way and decades before some of the more daring ventures, like creating fully functional organs, become realities. According to Baena, Spanish legislation is not an impediment for using the 3D printing machines, but yes when it comes to the clinical phase, so it might be a few years before some of the research gets to patient clinical trials and lawmakers catch up to some of the technological advances tacking place today.

Baena and the REGEMAT team

Repsol Acquires 17 Percent of Spanish 3D Printing Filament Supplier Recreus

As it turns out, Recreus and Repsol have a lot in common. And now they will be able to develop their shared interests in propelling industries like medicine further into the future with new technology, along with other critical markets such as textiles, with Repsol acquiring 17 percent of the Spanish 3D printing materials distributor’s company, located in Elda, Spain.

Repsol, headquartered in Madrid, is focused on continually developing new energy prospects, specializing in products and services and materials related to oil, gas, electricity, and chemicals, with the last item coming into play specifically for the 3D printing industry as they have been developing polyolefins as raw material for filament. With an investment fund armed with 85 million euros for the 2016-2020 period, this is one endeavor that will fulfill their goal to move further forward in the technology sector—with a company that complements the products Repsol already provides globally.

Founded in 2013 by Ignacio Garcia as a ‘garage startup,’ Recreus has grown into a worldwide supplier of both elastic and rigid thermoplastic filaments, with a mission to continually develop new materials and new extruders and other required hardware and processes. They are currently very well-known for Filaflex, a line of filaments that they offer in a range of colors and sizes.

With the investment and collaboration on Repsol’s part, Recreus will now be expanding their research and development efforts in materials. The partnership should give them even greater market strength as a supplier, along with supporting their own plans for expansion. Repsol’s resources are vast, as they currently market their products in 90 countries and employ over 25,000 employees. They are also responsible for over 700,000 barrels of oil production per day and are known to have one of the best refining systems in Europe.

“Repsol is also developing modified polymers to be used as raw material in the different 3D printing technologies as part of its innovation and technology programs. 3D printing with elastic materials has many applications in multiple sectors and is rapidly spreading to new fields. Currently, Recreus is working with companies in advanced orthopedics and textiles to develop materials and printing processes specific to their markets,” states their recent press release.

Whether you are a business owner thinking about delving into more progressive technology, a die-hard 3D printing user already, or an enthusiast who enjoys finding out more about scientific innovation, still you may be surprised to find what a role the study and development of materials plays in manufacturing techniques today. Manufacturers are refining plastics, along with as many other materials as there are industries that can put them into use, from metal to concrete to specialized materials like metallic glass.

What do you think of this news? Let us know your thoughts! Join the discussion of this and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com.

[Source / Images: Recreus]

Partners of Spanish Hospital Use Stratasys FDM Technology to 3D Print Medical Models

Founded in 2008, Biodonostia Health Research Institute was the very first medical research institute in Spain’s Basque region, and now focuses on research in seven subject areas, from oncology and neuroscience to bioengineering and infectious diseases. Recently, the institute partnered with Tecnun, a specialist division of the Universidad de Navarra, and Tknika, a regional Research and Applied Innovation Center for Vocational Education and training, in order to help its surgeons harness Stratasys‘ FDM 3D printing technology to help in surgical preparation and planning.

“3D printing is an essential surgical tool for us,” explained Dr. Jon Zabaleta, a Thoracic Surgeon at Biodonostia. “Previously, no 3D printed model we created in-house could meet the level of detail and accuracy we needed. However, thanks to our partnership with these local institutions, we now have access to advanced 3D printing technology from Stratasys that enables us to meet the demands required to create highly-accurate, patient-specific 3D models.”

In order to perform complex procedures successfully, surgeons need every possible tool at their disposal…such as 3D printing. The goal of Biodonostia’s partnership with both Tecnun and Tknika is to put together a multidisciplinary team that works to make accurate, high-quality 3D printed surgical models on demand for the hospital. Tecnun will work on the segmentation and reconstruction of the patient-specific models, while Tknika will complete the final 3D printed versions.

“We’re thankful to have such knowledgeable partners in Tknika and Tecnun,” said Dr. Zabaleta. “Coupled with the dedicated local support of Stratasys distributor, Pixel Sistemas, we’re confident that the hospital can continue to help patients with access to the most advanced 3D printing solutions.”

Thanks to its new partnerships, Biodonostia surgical teams can receive highly accurate 3D printed medical models, made with Stratasys’ FDM technology, within 24 hours. These models are helping the hospital’s teams improve patient care by reducing the amount of time patients spend in surgery, especially when it comes to treating complex thoracic wall tumors.

Patient-specific 3D printed model of a tumor on the thoracic wall.

These tumors, located on the chest wall, cause painful swelling, and can even lead to trouble breathing. Dr. Zabaleta and his team recently had a case where a 64-year-old man had a very complicated, and painful, tumor on his thoracic wall – the tumor had grown up his chest cavity and spread across multiple ribs over two years. The team was concerned about the patient’s respiratory function and knew they needed to act fast.

“Ordinarily, in a case like this, we would remove the affected ribs and correct the defect by covering the area with a titanium plate,” Dr. Zabaleta explained. “These plates are a standard size, designed for men of 100 KG or women of 50 KG, and need to be altered and rotated during surgery to suit each patient specification. In a complicated surgery, this can add hours to the operating time.”

Removing multiple ribs would increase the risk of the surgery, so the team needed to find a way to maintain movement and flexibility in the patient’s chest, while also fixing the defect with enough strength to protect his lungs. They turned to new partners Tecnun and Tknika for help planning the surgery through the use of an advanced, patient-specific 3D printed model.

“By creating a precise, anatomically-accurate 3D printed model of the thoracic wall, we were able to plan and perform the resection on the 3D model ahead of the surgery. This allowed us to measure the screws and pre-bend the titanium plates in advance and helped reduce the overall operating time by 2 hours,” said Dr. Zabaleta. “For the patient, this meant a significant reduction in time under anesthesia, and for our hospital, freeing up time in operating rooms saves costs.”

Tecnun and Tknika converted a CT scan of the patient’s thoracic wall and tumor into a 3D printable model. Because the model needed to be strong enough to replicate human bone, it was 3D printed out of an engineering-grade thermoplastic on the Stratasys Fortus 450mc 3D printer.

“Our partnership afforded us access to the necessary technology to produce a large and complex model that was incredibly strong, close to the real bones we would face during surgery,” said Dr. Zabaleta. “Without the strength of this model, we could not have prepared for the surgery in the same way.”

The 3D printed model was also helpful in reliving the patient’s anxiety ahead of the surgery, which also made the surgical consult more efficient.

Due to its new partnerships, Biodonostia is working to provide 3D printed medical models to 23 other Spanish hospitals. Dr. Zabaleta believes that the next step for all of the hospital’s surgical disciplines should be to use Stratasys FDM 3D printing for surgical planning, so patient care can be improved through innovation.

Dr. Zabaleta said, “The use of the 3D printed model was so essential to this case, and we are working to apply this to many other surgical disciplines across the hospital, from pancreatic tumors to airway stenosis, and these 3D printed models are already being used to help train our future surgeons.”

Discuss this news and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts below.

[Source: News Medical]

Interview with Aintzane Arbide of IAM 3D Hub Barcelona

We’re very interested in seeing if hubs can bring about the future of 3D printing in a communal way. We’re far from alone in that front however cities such as Singapore and Dubai are pouring lots of money in trying to be the silicon valley of 3D printing. Without a clear candidate, many other cities are toying with that idea. What if the Silicon Valley of 3D printing could also contain some beach, design, industry, a glass of nice Penedes wine, tapas and strolls through the La Boqueria market? What if in some years we’d find out that our center was Barcelona? I can’t be alone in thinking that this would not be a bad outcome at all. One person that wants to bring this about is Aintzane Arbide. She is the Business Development Manager at innovation management institute Leitat and manages the IAM 3D Hub a European funded technology incubator focused on Additive Manufacturing/3D printing.

What is IAM 3D Hub?

The International Advanced Manufacturing 3D Hub, the IAM 3D Hub, is a Digital Innovation Hub & Competence Center specialized in Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing who will provide SME’s with a “One-Stop” Shop to assess, guide and address all their needs in Additive Manufacturing.

The IAM 3D HUB is the only Digital Innovation Hub specialized in 3D printing recognized by the European Commission and It has been chosen to take part of the Strategy Board selected by the Ministry of Industry in Spain for the definition of the DIH’s roadmap.

What are your goals?

The IAM 3D Hub wants to accelerate the adoption of additive manufacturing and 3D printing technologies in the European Union manufacturing sectors as an alternative way to design, develop and manufacture new competitive products and services that strengthens their competitiveness.

What advice would you give me if I were a company new to 3D printing?

If you are thinking of adopting a 3D printing technology, we would recommend you to carefully analyze and identify which AM solution is the best option to solve your needs as a first step. Then, you need to reply to the following questions: What are your manufacturing capacities? Is your team ready to adapt designs and production processes to additive manufacturing? At IAM 3D HUB we understand that these questions are basics if you want to adopt 3D printing and we have a specialized team to help companies to resolve them by providing a wide range of services.

What advice would you give me if I wanted to manufacture with 3D printing?

I will not give you an advice, just a recommendation: to invest in 3D/AM training and learning programs. The process of adoption is just starting, so now companies have the opportunity of acquiring the knowledge and to be the first one in their field to include 3D printing into their manufacturing process and take advantage of its benefits.

What companies are you looking to partner with?

On the one hand, our founders and current members of the IAM 3D HUB are HP, Renishaw, Leitat, Coniex, and Wacker as technological players. On the other hand, our Training, Business, and Economical Players are Fira de Barcelona and the main Spanish trade show specialized in additive manufacturing: In(3D)ustry. Besides, we have signed different agreements with potential partners that will strengthen the relevance of AM in Europe. So, we are open to cooperate with many different companies and institutions along the whole value chain of additive manufacturing.

Why the focus on manufacturing?

We are not focused only on manufacturing. We understand that 3D printing is a disruptive technology that is being expanded. So, we just want to help companies to overcome their fears and adopt additive manufacturing in a way that meets their needs: either in manufacturing or rapid prototyping, etc.

How do you get SME’s to manufacture with 3D printing?

Helping them to gain confidence by offering the proper AM solution, a cost estimation, a design & re-design service to adapt their parts or by offering them customized AM/3DP trainings.

Is training what is holding SME’s back?

Training is an important factor, of course, but is not an obstacle. As we see it, designers and engineers of all kind of companies have the opportunity to improve their knowledge and specialize their careers in additive manufacturing. We also offer a customized training program for companies and SME’ focused on closing their digital skills’ gap.

What is your living lab?

We have a functional working 3D printing production line with 9 Multi Jet Fusion printers (HP), 2 Selective Laser Melting (Renishaw), 3 Fused Deposition Modelling and 1 Stereolithography. Besides, the post-processing area includes 4 Sandblasters, 1 Vibrational Polishing and 2 Dyeing machines, 1 Graphite Blaster and 1 Curing Oven. We also have a technical area with software for design and 3D modeling, DfAM tool for topological and geometrical optimization, analysis and modeling simulation. Finally, as our facilities are located in Leitat premises, we have access to their labs for material characterization and mechanical properties validation, within many others.

What are the main barriers to 3D printing adoption?

Nowadays, we think the main barrier for companies that want to adopt additive manufacturing is the lack of knowledge on what the technology (and materials) can deliver. Therefore, we have focused on providing different trainings for specific purposes, which can also be fully customized.

Furthermore, technology’ costs, productivity or materials available could lead into confusion for companies if they don’t have any previous experience.

What products do you see 3D printing being used for?

We are assisting to a rapid development of the technology and discovering new products which are adapting to AM materials and technologies available to maximize their properties and usability. Nowadays, 3D printing is a disrupting technology in multiple sectors as aerospace, automotive, industrial equipment, medicine, electronics, consumer goods, construction, and food, among others

What areas are ripe for industrialization with 3D printing?

As commented earlier, sectors like aerospace, automotive, industrial equipment, medicine, electronics, consumer goods, construction and food are already taking advantage of AM capabilities. What AM is currently able to deliver is fully optimisation and customisation for small series of parts, industrial tooling, medical equipment etc.

What kind of events of yours should I attend?

Our doors are open if someone wants to visit us and discover our services and 3D printing factory. Furthermore, we are going to be present at the following trade shows this year: Addit 3D (Bilbao) and IN(3D)USTRY (Barcelona) in Spain, TCT in England, and K (Düsseldorf) and Formnext (Frankfurt) in Germany. Come and join us!

Why is Barcelona becoming a 3D Printing hub?

Catalonia, with Barcelona as its main capital, has a 3D ecosystem with a huge number of companies located in the metropolitan area since many years ago, including HP or Renishaw main sites, leaders in 3D printing.

According to that, the European Union selected this community on its funding program Ris3, Llavor 3D, leaded by Leitat Technological Center to invest in 3D printing research and development.

Besides that, the first and only High-Tech 3D printing incubator will open its doors in Barcelona next February. The project, lead by Consorci of Zona Franca de Barcelona and Leitat Foundation, will offer co-working spaces, marketing services and access to a 3Dprinting lab with the latest technology to 25 companies, SME’s or startups selected by a contest.

This project will be only the first seed of the creation of a 4.0 district and it will be completed with the inauguration of DFactory 4.0, next June, in Zona Franca Barcelona too, a building with more than 17.000sqm where different companies linked to 4.0 technologies will move out and share labs and networking spaces.