CerAMfacturing · Project

Custom Ceramic 3D Printing for Personalized Medical Devices and Consumer Products

manufacturingPilotedTRL 6

Imagine 3D printing, but instead of plastic you're printing with ceramics — the same tough, heat-resistant materials used in dental implants and watch cases. This project figured out how to print objects made from multiple ceramic materials at once, like combining a dense outer shell with a porous inner layer, or mixing ceramic with metal. They built two generations of printing machines and proved it works by making real surgical grippers and luxury watch cases. The goal is to let manufacturers customize products one at a time without losing the efficiency of mass production.

By the numbers

consortium partners

countries in consortium

case study demonstrators for personalized medical products

80%

industry ratio in consortium

SMEs in consortium

total project deliverables

generations of AM pilot devices built

The business problem

What needed solving

Manufacturing customized ceramic components — especially for medical devices like implants and surgical tools — is slow, expensive, and limited by traditional production methods that cannot easily combine multiple materials in one part. Companies must choose between mass production (cheap but generic) or handcrafted customization (precise but prohibitively expensive), with no practical middle ground for patient-specific or multi-functional ceramic products.

The solution

What was built

The project built 2 generations of fully operative additive manufacturing devices for multi-material ceramic production, plus 5 physical demonstrators: a customised IR limb heater, ceramic watchcases combining black and white zirconia, and individualised grippers for minimally invasive surgery — all tested under practically relevant conditions across 26 deliverables.

Audience

Who needs this

Medical device manufacturers producing patient-specific ceramic implants or surgical instrumentsLuxury watchmakers and jewelry companies using technical ceramics like zirconiaContract ceramics manufacturers looking to add customization capabilitiesOrthopedic and dental implant companies needing multi-material ceramic partsIndustrial equipment makers requiring custom ceramic components with mixed properties

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Medical devices

mid-size

Target: Manufacturers of surgical instruments and orthopedic implants

If you are a medical device company struggling to produce patient-specific ceramic implants or micro surgical tools at reasonable cost — this project developed 2nd generation additive manufacturing devices that combine ceramics with metals in a single production step. They demonstrated individualised grippers for minimally invasive surgery evaluated under practically relevant tests, across 5 case studies covering implants, surgical tools, and remedies.

Luxury consumer goods

SME

Target: Watchmakers and jewelry manufacturers working with technical ceramics

If you are a luxury goods manufacturer wanting to offer customized ceramic products without retooling for every variant — this project demonstrated ceramic watchcases combining black and white zirconia using multi-material 3D printing. The technology allows you to produce two-colored ceramic components in series while still customizing each piece to individual specifications.

Industrial ceramics manufacturing

any

Target: Contract manufacturers and ceramics companies seeking additive manufacturing capabilities

If you are a ceramics manufacturer looking to add 3D printing to your production line without abandoning your existing equipment — this project developed methods to combine additive manufacturing with conventional shaping routes like tape casting and ceramic injection moulding. The 2nd generation pilot machines are fully operative and suited for multi-material production of ceramic components at industrial scale.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to adopt this ceramic 3D printing technology?

The project does not publish pricing or licensing fees. However, the technology is designed to integrate with existing ceramic shaping routes like tape casting and injection moulding, which means you may not need to replace your entire production line. Contact the consortium through SciTransfer for specific cost discussions.

Can this scale to industrial series production?

Yes — this was a core design goal. The project explicitly developed methods for series production of customised components, not just one-off prototypes. The 2nd generation pilot devices are described as fully operative and suited for multi-material production, and the technology combines AM with conventional high-volume methods like ceramic injection moulding.

Who owns the IP, and can I license this technology?

The consortium is led by Fraunhofer, Germany's largest applied research organization, with 10 partners across 5 countries. IP is typically shared among consortium members under Horizon 2020 rules. With 8 industry partners including 5 SMEs, there are likely multiple licensing or collaboration pathways available.

What materials can actually be printed?

The project qualified ceramic/ceramic and ceramic/metal material combinations. Demonstrated materials include black and white zirconia (used in the watchcase demonstrator). Suspension-based methods were specifically chosen because they deliver better component performance compared to powder-based 3D printing.

Has this been tested on real medical applications?

The project produced 5 case study demonstrators for personalized medical products including micro surgical tools, implants, and remedies. The individualised gripper for minimally invasive surgery was demonstrated and evaluated by practically relevant tests. However, clinical certification and regulatory approval would still be required for market use.

How mature is the equipment — is it lab-stage or production-ready?

Two generations of AM devices were built. The 2nd generation consists of fully operative machines suited for multi-material production of ceramic components, with integration of conventionally manufactured semi-components. This is beyond lab-stage but would likely need further engineering for full commercial deployment.

Consortium

Who built it

This is a strongly industry-driven consortium with 8 out of 10 partners from industry (80% ratio) and 5 SMEs, which is unusually high for an EU research project. Fraunhofer — Europe's largest applied research organization — leads the coordination, providing credibility and a track record in technology transfer. The consortium spans 5 countries (Austria, Germany, Denmark, Ireland, Netherlands), covering key European manufacturing hubs. With only 1 university and 1 research organization alongside 8 industry players, this project was clearly designed to produce commercially viable results rather than academic publications.

CERAMTEC GMBHparticipant · DE
EUROGRANT GMBHparticipant · DE
EYE-D INNOVATION APSparticipant · DK
MONTANUNIVERSITAET LEOBENparticipant · AT
HAGE SONDERMASCHINENBAU GMBH & CO KGparticipant · AT
ADMATEC EUROPE BVparticipant · NL

How to reach the team

Fraunhofer IKTS (Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems) in Germany is the likely coordinating institute. SciTransfer can facilitate a direct introduction to the project team.

Order a report on this consortium

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing this ceramic multi-material 3D printing technology or discuss a pilot collaboration? SciTransfer connects you directly to the right people in the consortium — contact us for a personalized briefing.

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