Thursday, February 14, 2019
Magnetic additive manufacturing: advances that make the heart beat faster!
The most beautiful scientific discoveries are often the result of a wonderful coincidence, which only open and curious minds can observe. When Kai von Petersdorff-Campen, a doctoral student at the University of Zurich, embarked on the project of producing a 3D-printed heart pump, he probably did not suspect that his work would attract worldwide attention.
His initial intention was not so much "to make a reliable heart pump, but rather to demonstrate that it could be designed in a single step".
It should be noted that an artificial heart pump is not a trivial product (it carries life expectancy) and technically it is a geometrically complex product and above all.... it integrates magnets.
The challenge was therefore not insignificant: all the more so as in the field of 3D printing with magnets incorporated into the filament, research is still in its infancy.
The secret lies in the right dosage!
The "Embedded magnet printing" process developed by Kai von Petersdorff-Campen involves mixing a magnetic powder with the polymer to form a filament that is intended to be used for melt deposition via a 3D printer.
The filaments are extracted layer by layer to form the desired part, which is then magnetized in an external field.
The main difficulty for Kai von Petersdorff-Campen is to find the right proportions: the more magnetic powder added to the plastic granules, the greater the magnetic force, which ultimately weakens the filament.
But far from being discouraged, the researcher from the University of Zurich finally found the right "dosage" of power (magnetic force) and flexibility (reasonably flexible for printing).
What are the prospects for this technology?
Kai von Petersdorff-Campen is categorical: at present, his process is not yet ready for a product as sensitive as a heart pump "I would not want to have such a device implanted".
On the other hand, it is very likely that for other medical devices it will become a real opportunity as well as for multiple markets such as electric motors, hard disks, speakers, household appliances...
This has not escaped the attention of an internationally recognized community that invited him to the prestigious ASAIO conference in Washington in June. He also won the prototype competition with the video he presented on his project.
For more information:
https://www.ethz.ch/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2018/10/heart-pump-from-a-3d-printer.html
Editor : Anne de LANSALUT