Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SCAT (Smart Composites for Additive Technology)
Reporting period: 2019-09-01 to 2020-02-29
Since the immemorial, the replacement of missing teeth has been a medical and cosmetic necessity for humankind. There will be an increase in the overall need for complete dentures, from 53.8 million in 1991 to 61.0 million dentures in 2020. In common practice, there are a lot of materials that can be used to manufacture denture substructures: Zirconium oxide, Titanium, Chrome-cobalt. An alternative to metal supported and or ceramic restorations in removable and fixed dentures is provided by Fiber Reinforced Composites (FRC), which represent a low-cost alternative to metal-alloy, metal–ceramic, all-ceramic restorations, and provide superior resistance to fractures. Thus, the current practice to fabricate FRC reinforcing structure for dentures suffers serious drawbacks due to the specific manufacturing methods: either loss of the mechanical properties and production of a lot of waste materials or when hand-made the result is imprecise and dependent on the operator. The SCAT project aims to overcome today’s fabrication limits by additive manufacturing using FRC materials. Today, all the commercial 3D printers for dental applications do not make use of FRC, all of them are using metallic, ceramic and resin materials. The goal of the SCAT feasibility study proposal is to complete the technical, commercial and financial assessment of a new additive manufacturing technology which has demonstrated to have the potential to disrupt dentistry.
The work performed and main results achieved in this project included production and validation of 15 cases for dental implantation, technology improvement comprising the tool head realization and implementation on the robotic machine, and finally software enhancement allowed to increment production speed 5 times faster. In addition, a Web app based on the new software was created and a patent was submitted to protect the outcome. Market analysis with feedback was conducted to assess market size, segmentation, and customer profiling confirming target client’s willingness to pay for a better, innovative product and interest in 3D printed FRC substructures. The feasibility report and business plan were drafted and finalized. Potential material suppliers and list of potential partners were also researched and approached. In summary, SCAT allowed business and technology development, initial level of validation for product-market-viability and that the project is a feasible market endeavor thanks to the support of the EU research and innovation program Horizon 2020.
The project shall continue and as a result of the work conducted, the strategic vision has evolved into a clearer plan and path forward drawing industrial, governmental, social, and educational stakeholder support and collaboration to innovate and transform the future. With respect to project objectives, the concept and impact remain the same, to boost economic growth, create jobs (40+) in 2025, and provide innovative, accessible healthcare.