3D Printing for Safe Sharps Disposal Supports Rapid Iterations and Painless Transition to Production
Protective part for dental syringes uses engineering-grade resin that’s comparable to injection molding materials for accelerated product development and reduced project costs.
The protective cover for this needle safety system is made from UltraCur3D® RG 1100, one of Forward AM’s many high-performance 3D printing materials. By supplying the material solutions that innovators needs, ForwardAM is supporting advances in healthcare and patient safety.
Project Breakdown
Industry & Application
Dental, Healthcare
Product
Ultracur3D® RG 1100
Partner & Technology
DLP Station 5-405 EXZ from atum3D
Why Forward AM Solutions and Materials?
Forward AM recommended a material that supports rapid design changes and a smooth transition from prototyping to production.
Key Numbers
There are an estimated 2 to 3.5 million needlestick incidents each year.
Sharpfield Company B.V. of Rotterdam, Netherlands developed NeedleOff technology to protect healthcare providers and their patients from accidental jabs with used needles. The NeedleCover, a transparent twist-lock sleeve, is a NeedleOff add-on that’s designed to fit a standard dental syringe and secure a contaminated needle without the need for recapping or removal.
In partnership with Forward AM and atum3D, Sharpfield Company B.V. used additive manufacturing to rapidly iterate its NeedleCover designs and begin series production. In addition to supplying Sharpfield Company B.V. with UltraCur3D® RG 1100, an engineering-grade resin that’s comparable to injection molding materials, Forward AM helped NeedleOff take safety, speed, and usability to the next level.
They also utilized Digital Light Processing (DLP) technology from atum3D. With proprietary hardware, intelligent software and an open resin platform all designed in-house in the Netherlands from the ground up, their products incorporate properties which rival traditional part production methods. Sharpfield was able to rely on atum3D’s expertise and full-service to design the part, select the best material, prototype various parts, and ultimately run the full-production.
The Challenge
Sharpfield Company B.V. wanted to create a transparent, protective sleeve that would slide along the entire length of the needle and syringe. The company needed a material with low water uptake that combined strength, stiffness, and temperature resistance with low shrinkage and high accuracy. Mechanical properties were important, but the ideal polymer also needed to support part details.
During product development, NeedleCover designers wanted to iterate rapidly by incorporating customer feedback and the results of cross-functional collaboration. Then, when development was complete, the designers wanted a quick, smooth transition to production. Waiting for tooling like molds would slow time-to-market, and extensive post-processing would increase project costs.
The Solution
3D printing supports rapid prototyping across multiple iterations. Unlike injection molding, which is also used to produce dental and medical parts, additive manufacturing doesn’t require waiting for tooling. The 3D printer that Sharpfield Company B.V. used, Atum’s DLP Station 5-405 EXZ, uses digital light processing (DLP) technology for rapid curing and faster printer speeds.
The material that Sharpfield Company B.V. selected, Forward AM’s Ultracur3D® RG 1100, is a strong, stiff, polyurethane-based resin with low water uptake, high-temperature resistance, high accuracy, and low shrinkage. This transparent material also supported a smooth transition from prototyping to production, and the only post-processing that was required was the sanding of contact points.
The Result
Atum3D’s rapid innovation process has revolutionized the development of the Needle Cover for Sharpfield Company B.V., making the production easier, faster, and more cost-effective than before. By using advanced materials such as Ultracur3D RG1100 Clear from Forward AM, Atum3D’s AM technology professionals were able to create transparent, detailed twist-lockable protective sleeves that slide along the length of the syringe and needle.
Next Steps
Reference Links and Documents
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