据悉，Carbon宣布推出一种开创性的新材料，可用于3D打印和其他制造工艺。新材料名为SIL 30，是一种有机硅聚氨酯材料，具有生物相容性、低硬度和抗撕裂性。
这种树脂的特性使其非常适合用于制造能直接与皮肤长时间（超过30天）接触以及与粘膜短期（不超过24小时）接触的定制产品。现在，有了它，大家可以3D打印各种专用设备，如耳机、腕带和可穿戴设备的各种附件。
Carbon与生物相容性测试领域的领导者NAMSA合作，进行了符合FDA建议的生物相容性测试。测试表明，SIL30树脂通过了所有相关的皮肤和粘膜接触测试，Carbon的其余树脂产品，RPU61、EPX81、RPU70、CE220和UMA90也都通过了测试。（本文转自天工社，仅供参考学习）
以下是来自carbon公司网页内容：
REDWOOD CIY, CA – NOVEMBER 9, 2017 – Carbon (www.Carbon3D.com), a Silicon Valley-based 3D manufacturing company, today announced the release of Silicone (SIL 30), a soft, tear-resistant, biocompatible resin, opening up additive manufacturing applications for a range of medical and consumer products such as headphones, wristbands, and other various attachments for wearables. With this new material, Carbon has the potential to revolutionize manufacturing for the wearables market, which, according to International Data Corporation (IDC) is expected to double by 2021 due to the increase in sales of smartwatches and smart clothing.
Carbon worked with NAMSA, a leader in biocompatibility testing, to certify SIL 30 as well as six additional Carbon resins, including multiple resins that will be used in medical device manufacturing – another industry that has seen significant benefits from using 3D printing.
“Consumer goods and medical are two industries that show the most promise for using 3D printing for production at scale, which is why we’ve prioritized the development of novel materials like SIL 30,” said Carbon CEO and Co-founder Dr. Joseph DeSimone. “We now have seven biocompatible materials, more than double the amount of any other additive manufacturing company.”
In addition to SIL 30, the other six Carbon resins that have been certified biocompatible include:
- Cyanate Ester (CE 220): A highly temperature-resistant and stiff material similar to glass-filled nylon, used primarily for applications that need long-term thermal stability like under-the-hood automotive components, electronics assemblies, surgical instruments, and industrial products. CE has excellent dielectric properties for uses in high voltage transformers and radio frequency applications.
- Rigid Polyurethane (RPU 61): A versatile, tough, and rigid material comparable to ABS and used primarily for single-use surgical tools, housings, consumer, and industrial products.
- Rigid Polyurethane (RPU 70): Like RPU 61, a versatile, tough, and rigid material comparable to ABS. RPU 70 also has a UL 94 HB flame-resistance classification.
- Elastomeric Polyurethane (EPU 40): A highly elastic, tear-resistant, and resilient material comparable to TPU elastomer used primarily for cushioning, vibration isolation, gaskets, and seals for applications like surgical robotics, prosthetics, and diagnostic devices.
- Epoxy (EPX 81): A temperature-resistant and strong material comparable to glass-filled PBT used primarily for applications like electrical connectors.
- Urethane Methacrylate (UMA 90): A rigid material similar to conventional SLA resins that is well-suited for producing manufacturing jigs, fixtures, and general-purpose prototypes.
“We were investigating how to best create pediatric stents that can be easily switched out as a child grows, but found that traditional 3D printing methods and materials repeatedly failed due to the dynamic action of the airways,” said Dr. Robroy MacIver, Congenital Heart Surgeon at Children’s Minnesota. “Carbon’s SIL 30 material offers an isotropic, smooth finish with the durability to withstand such action in the trachea, while its innovative Digital Light Synthesis technology allowed for the size, fine resolution, and robust-build quality required for such small airways. As a result, we were able to develop a durable, flexible device that can support many different deployment techniques for pediatric stent placement.”
“For several years now, Carbon’s materials scientists have been aggressively working to create the broadest possible range and depth of photopolymer materials with exceptional surface quality, mechanical properties tuned for production, and now biocompatibility,” said Jason Rolland, Carbon’s vice president of materials. “We engage closely with our customers to understand their individual requirements as we develop new production-quality materials, so the range of materials that can be used with our M Series 3D printers and Digital Light Synthesisä technology will continue to grow extensively.”