In Uncertain Times, World Changing Ideas Matter
Fast Company’s recognition of companies with “world-changing” ideas today was timely and symbolic. As the world navigates a way forward, Fast Company and others demonstrate that the show must and will go on. World-changing ideas cannot wait.
At FluidForm, we are honored to be named to that select group this year.
Our world-changing idea is to enable the 3D printing of previously unprintable material in limitless geometries. Current 3D printing methods excel with solid materials like thermoplastics and metal, but they cannot print fluid synthetic materials like epoxies, urethanes and silicones or fluid biomaterials like collagen and cells without modifying them with additives to speed curing. Being able to print native thermosets and biologic materials will help revolutionize industries from medicine to wearables to automotive and beyond.
At FluidForm, we modify the environment, not the materials, using Freeform Reversible Embedding of Suspended Hydrogels (FRESH). FRESH is our patented 3D printing method for printing products using native fluid materials into a gel-based support bath that holds the materials in place while printing and curing. It gives the ability to print any fluid synthetic that cures to harden, or biomaterial fluid that needs to gel, in its native form and in any geometry
Demonstrating the world-changing nature of FRESH, in August of last year, two of FluidForm's co-founders were the lead authors on a groundbreaking paper published in Science, entitled "3D bioprinting of collagen to rebuild components of the human heart". In this paper, they demonstrated the ability to use FRESH printing to manufacture working heart valves, tissue with blood vessels, and beating ventricles. This represented a quantum leap forward in the field of tissue engineering.
Thank you Fast Company for the recognition! Now back to work!