Craft Health, one of ViscoTec Asia’s customers, is using the company's the vipro-HEAD 5 print head for the 3D printing of nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals. For its equipment, the personalised healthcare provider sought out components which satisfied all regulatory requirements for the manufacturing of nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals.
The vipro-HEAD features an "endless-piston" principle, ViscoTec says, which enables accurate dosing of Craft's formulations, containing GRAS excipients for 3D printing and various controlled release profiles.
The print head was supplied in the stepper motor version, which allows integration into already existing gantry systems for 3D printing. The component's wetted and non-wetted surfaces can be clearly separated and cleaned accordingly. To meet the requirements of the customer the wetted surfaces of the device were refabricated using SS316L material to comply with FDA regulations.
Dr Seng Han LIM, the co-founder and COO of Craft Health, said: "Melvyn Teo, the Managing Director of ViscoTec Asia, and his team, were open and supportive to new ideas on modifications to comply with any regulatory requirement for manufacturing of nutraceutical or pharmaceutical. ViscoTec Asia was also very prompt in technical or other administrative supports.”
“Our Craft Blends must be printed in the desired volume or geometry. Based on individual requirement of the active ingredient. We are using multiple print heads, and so the Craft Blends containing different active ingredient can also be combined onto a single tablet, depending on individual’s requirement. Different Craft Blends can also be employed to control the rate of release of active ingredients into the body. Hence, a unique & personalised tablet can be 3D printed for the individual, considering the combination, type, dose, and release profile of active ingredients required. The end product is a personalised tablet for the individual, for both nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals.”
