Protolabs Adds Medical White Material for Axtra3D Lumia X1 Printer

Protolabs is now offering a new material called Medical White (MED-WHT 10) for production on the Axtra3D Lumia X1 High-Speed Stereolithography (SLA) platform. This development marks the fifth qualified material available through Protolabs' digital manufacturing services for the Lumia X1.

The introduction of Medical White is a result of the ongoing collaboration between Axtra3D and Protolabs, who currently utilize three Lumia X1 production systems to meet customer demand. This partnership focuses on jointly identifying high-value applications, selecting suitable materials from Axtra3D's network, and qualifying complete production workflows.

Kenny Capps, Director of Manufacturing Operations at Protolabs, stated that the addition of Medical White demonstrates a commitment to providing production-ready materials that address manufacturing challenges. He highlighted that the collaboration with Axtra3D has accelerated the expansion of their Advanced Photopolymers offering with qualified materials for end-use production.

Rajeev Kulkarni, Chief Strategy Officer at Axtra3D, described this launch as an example of their Axtra Solutions business model, which involves partnering with material innovators and customers to fully qualify solutions on the Lumia X1. He emphasized that Protolabs exemplifies how this collaborative approach speeds up the adoption of additive manufacturing for production.

Medical White is designed for applications requiring biocompatibility, sterilisation, dimensional stability, and good visual appearance. It meets ISO 10993-5 (cytotoxicity) and ISO 10993-10 (sensitisation and irritation) standards. The material is suitable for medical devices, surgical guides, splints, diagnostic components, anatomical models, and dental applications, as well as industrial and electronic components needing dimensional and thermal stability.