World’s first 3D printer for implant-grade silicone housed at IISc

The world’s first 3D printer for implant-grade silicone, developed by Prayasta, the recipient of this year’s National Startup Technology Award, was unveiled on Wednesday at the Indian Institute of Science’s Centre (IISc) for BioSystems Science and Engineering (BSSE).

To formally establish this relationship, an MoU was inked earlier this year.

In-hospital silicone implants can be created using Prayasta’s specialised 3D printer, Silimac, by 3D printing the material directly. One-to-one implant customization made possible by 3D printing not only improves patient outcomes but also cuts down on the amount of time it takes a surgeon to do the same procedure using standard implants.

It is possible to customise 3D-printed implants made with Silimac in terms of weight, stiffness, touch, and feel, in addition to shape, size, and contour, making them a comprehensive solution.

Personalizing implants makes more sense given that they will be in patients’ bodies permanently for the remainder of their lives and that the world is heading toward individualised medicine.

Additionally, Prayasta has created a design process known as “novel internal architecture” that can make breast implants sutureable and rupture-proof, removing the possibility of leaking and post-implantation displacements.

Together, Prayasta and IISc will test the 3D printability of innovative materials in a fast-track mode, acquire the essential skills for quicker uptake of 3D printing technology, and expedite the translation of personalised soft tissue implants from research to hospitals.

Silicone is now one of the greatest implantable materials, but it cannot be printed in three dimensions, according to Prayasta co-founder Vikas Garg. Due to its intrinsic two-part cross-linking requirement, form factor, and exceptionally high viscosity, implant-grade silicone cannot be printed with conventional printers. To address this, we adopted a new strategy and created a brand-new 3D printing technology from the ground up.

It’s an amazing honour to collaborate with one of India’s top science institutes. Together, Shilpi Sen, co-founder of Prayasta, and I are excited to build the future of better, more individualised healthcare solutions.