Somos® WaterShed XC 11122 – Material

Profile of a material that is ideal for use in prototyping of biocompatible medical devices

SLA prototyping is one of the most – if not the most – popular of all prototyping technologies and processes, because of its versatility and the range of materials that have been specifically developed for use with it.

Some of these materials are highly specialised because of the properties they are capable of replicating or because they are suitable for certain industry applications.

A material that falls into this category is itself one of the most popular of the SLA process materials and is called WaterShed XC 11122.

What is Somos® WaterShed XC 11122?

WaterShed is a low viscosity, high clarity liquid photopolymer that is used to produce strong, tough, water-resistant ABS- or PBT-like parts. These parts can mimic clear engineered thermoplastic.

It is an easy-to-use material that is ideal for many applications in the automotive, aerospace and consumer electronics markets.

Of particular interest to Prototype Projects and our clients however is its application in the medical device market.

Applications

The most common uses of Somos WaterShed XC 11122 derive from its very specific properties, for example:

• High water resistance: Fluid flow analysis
• Dimensional durability: Wind tunnel testing
• Optical clarity: Lenses
• Smooth finish: Consumer products, concept models, master parts
• Biocompatibility (USP Class VI): Medical/pharmaceutical/dental products

USP Class VI applications

WaterShed XC 11122 material has passed the most severe tests to gain USP Class VI approval.

It is one just a handful of SLA resins to meet ISO 10993 standards for use in medical device applications, and has ISO 10993-5 Cytotoxicity, ISO 10993-10 Sensitisation and ISO 10993-10 Irritation certifications.

This means that it is officially cleared for use by product designers and engineers in the medical device industry for a wide range of biomedical or skin contact applications. The requirements to qualify as a biocompatible material.

Watershed at Prototype Projects

Prototype Projects can deliver SLA prototyping services for biocompatible parts quickly and reliably, helping you to speed up product development, clinical trial development and time to market.

Parts produced using WaterShed XC 11122 are made on a dedicated 3D Systems Viper SLA machine in a clean workroom in our workshop.

The clean workroom is dedicated to the production of SLA parts using materials that have been given a USP CLASS VI classification. All production, cleaning and packaging are carried out within this room to minimise any cross contamination from other materials/processes. Our documented production process is available on request.

We recommend WaterShed XC 11122 material for the prototyping of medical device applications including:

• Housings and casings for medical devices
• Drug delivery devices such as oral inhalers
• Medical products to be used in clinical trials
• Any other ABS-like prototype part that requires USP Class VI approved material
• Medical Device Prototypes
• Anatomical models
• Investment casting masters e.g. for hip or knee joints
• Hearing aids

Please contact us on 01763 249760 to discuss your requirements or click here to request a quote.