Imagine a 3D printer that doesn't just print a shape — it prints a bone implant with different materials, textures, and even healing molecules built right into the structure, all in one go. Right now, bone scaffolds are like plain sponges: one material, one texture. The FAST project built a hybrid printer that combines plastic extrusion, nano-reinforced composites, and plasma surface treatment in a single print head, so the implant can be strong where it needs to be strong and porous where cells need to grow. They tested these smart scaffolds in animal trials for bone regeneration.
Bone implants today are generic — same material throughout, no built-in biological signals, and manufactured using processes that cannot customize each piece for the patient. 3D printing promised to change this, but current printers can only work with one material at a time and cannot control surface chemistry or material gradients within a single part. This means surgeons still compromise between mechanical strength and biological performance in every bone repair procedure.
The project built a hybrid 3D printing demonstrator that combines polymer extrusion, in-line nanocomposite compounding, and atmospheric plasma surface treatment in a single manufacturing process. A basic prototype was delivered, and bone regeneration scaffolds with graded properties were produced and tested in in-vivo trials.
If you are an orthopedic implant manufacturer dealing with the limitation of one-size-fits-all bone grafts — this project developed a hybrid 3D printing system that produces patient-specific scaffolds with graded mechanical properties and bio-active surfaces in a single manufacturing step. The technology was validated with in-vivo bone regeneration trials across a consortium of 9 partners including 5 SMEs.
If you are a 3D printer manufacturer looking to enter the biomedical market — this project integrated melt compounding of nanocomposites and atmospheric plasma treatment directly into the print head, creating a new class of hybrid AM machines. The AM market has grown over 20% every year for the last 10 years, and functionally graded printing is the next competitive edge.
If you are a biomaterials company struggling to combine bio-active fillers with printable polymers — this project developed in-line melt compounding that mixes nanocomposites with bio-functionalized fillers directly during printing. The consortium included 5 industry partners across 5 countries, producing a working prototype demonstrator for scaffold production.
The project received EUR 4,916,750 in EU funding to develop the hybrid AM demonstrator across 9 partners over 4 years. Licensing or purchasing the technology would require negotiation with Universiteit Maastricht as coordinator. Based on available project data, specific per-unit production costs are not disclosed.
The project's final objective was a demonstrator for small pilot production of bone regeneration scaffolds. This indicates the technology reached pilot-scale, not full industrial throughput. Scaling would require further engineering of the hybrid print head for speed and reliability.
The consortium of 9 partners across 5 countries (DE, ES, IT, NL, NO) likely holds shared IP. With 5 SME partners and a 56% industry ratio, there are clear commercialization intentions. Contact would need to go through Universiteit Maastricht in the Netherlands as project coordinator.
The objective states the project aimed to test scaffolds in in-vivo trials for bone regeneration. A basic prototype was delivered. Based on available project data, these were animal trials, not human clinical trials, which would require separate regulatory approval.
The hybrid technology combines 3D polymer printing, melt compounding of nanocomposites, and atmospheric plasma — all integrated into a single printing process. This is not a plug-in upgrade but a new manufacturing platform. Based on the 4-year development timeline (2015-2019), integration into existing lines would require significant adaptation.
Bone regeneration scaffolds are Class III medical devices in the EU, requiring CE marking under the Medical Device Regulation. The in-vivo trials conducted in this project are a necessary step, but clinical trials and regulatory submission would be additional phases not covered by this project.
The project closed in November 2019. With 5 industrial partners including 5 SMEs in the consortium, some partners may have continued development independently. The project website (project-fast.eu) and coordinator at Universiteit Maastricht are the best starting points for current status.
The FAST consortium is notably industry-heavy at 56%, with 5 out of 9 partners being SMEs — a strong signal that this technology was developed with commercialization in mind, not just academic publication. The 5-country spread (Germany, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Norway) covers key European medtech and advanced manufacturing markets. Universiteit Maastricht coordinates, bringing academic rigor, while the industrial majority ensures practical engineering focus. For a business looking to access this technology, the high SME count means several partners may be actively seeking licensing deals or joint ventures to recoup their investment.
Universiteit Maastricht, Netherlands — contact through university technology transfer office or project website
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