3D PRINTING | MATERIALS


New machinery and materials are extending the use of 3D printing for production parts, for industries such as aerospace and automotive – plus several medical applications


Made to order: advances in 3D printing technology


While 3D printing remains a key prototyping technology, it is increasingly put to work in produc- tion – often as a replacement for injection moulding. Netherlands-based Novenda Technologies has won US$6.1m in funding to develop a new type of 3D printer for dental products. The company says that its multi-material jetting technology is used to create night guards and dentures – eliminating manual labour in dental manufacturing and achieving high colour and material control. The company, founded in 2019, installed its first 3D printer in 2021 to carry out its first multi-materi- al print using its proprietary software and materials. This culminated in a successful proof of concept for making nightguards and dentures in 2023. The technology combines hard materials (for


protection) with soft materials (for comfort) in a single piece. This represents a fundamental shift in dental product manufacturing, it says. While traditional methods require manual assembly and post-pro- cessing, Novenda’s platform combines multiple materials in a single print run, using water-soluble supports that dissolve with a tap water wash. Novenda Technologies has also developed


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smart print modes that achieve precise layer control without mechanical rollers – a limitation that causes ink contamination and restricted colour capabilities in competing systems, it says. “The combination of water-soluble support and the absence of mechanical interventions to compensate for imprecisions ensures long-term accuracy and eliminates the need for extensive post-processing,” said Klaas Wiertzema, CEO of Novenda. The system can produce up to 15 nightguards and eight dentures per hour, making it ideal for medium-sized and large dental labs. While Novenda’s LD100 printer represents a one-time investment, it works exclusively with its own materials to ensure quality and biocompatibility, generating recurring revenue while maintaining high quality standards. Novenda plans to expand its platform to other dental applications and eventually enter new markets where individualised mass manufacturing is key. Its immediate focus is to deploy its technology in dental labs across Europe and the US. The $6.1m Series A funding round was led by


Main image: Novenda is developing a new type of 3D printer for dental products


July/August 2025 | INJECTION WORLD 27


IMAGE: NOVENDA


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