Novenda Technologies secures $6.1 million investment for expanding multi-material 3D printing in dental laboratories
Novenda Technologies, a pioneering Dutch company founded in 2019 by Klaas Wiertzema, Petra Doelman, and Joost Anne Veerman, has revolutionised the dental industry with its innovative multi-material 3D printing technology [1]. This groundbreaking technology enables the production of dental products such as nightguards and dentures, combining multiple materials—hard and soft—in a single piece without manual assembly or extensive post-processing [2].
The heart of Novenda's system is a full-stack 3D printing platform that integrates proprietary software, printing hardware (the LD100 printer), and specially formulated materials [1]. This integration ensures biocompatibility, quality, and mechanical strength for the complex dental products produced [1].
One of the key aspects of Novenda's innovation is the use of water-soluble support structures, which eliminates labor-intensive cleaning steps and speeds up production [1]. Additionally, the company has developed smart print modes that achieve precise layer control without mechanical rollers, improving accuracy, reliability, and expanding colour options for more natural-looking dental products [1][2][3].
The LD100 printer, a one-time investment for Novenda Technologies, can produce up to 15 nightguards or 8 dentures per hour, making it suitable for mid-size and large dental laboratories [2]. This scalability addresses the industry's need for higher manufacturing capacity amid growing demand and a shortage of dental technicians [2].
The benefits of Novenda's technology extend beyond speed and efficiency. By seamlessly combining hard materials for protection with soft materials for comfort in one print, the final products—nightguards and dentures—are more comfortable, durable, and aesthetically appealing than those made with traditional methods [2].
Brightlands Venture Partners led the funding for Novenda's dental product manufacturing transformation, with participation from several other investors, totalling $6.1 million [4]. The company's immediate focus is on deploying its technology in large and mid-size dental labs across Europe and the US [5].
With its multi-material jetting technology, Novenda Technologies has digitally transformed dental product manufacturing, replacing manual processes with automated, scalable, and precise 3D printing technology that reduces waste and post-processing [1][2][3]. Experts suggest that "multi-material jetting is the future in dental" [6].
The technology is protected by multiple patents, with more in the pipeline [7]. Early feedback from the industry has been exceptional, with experts noting that the surface finish and aesthetic appearance of Novenda's night guards are "the best we have seen" [8].
Novenda Technologies has built a team of fifteen experts across physics, chemistry, material science, and software engineering [9]. The company's colour management algorithm achieves unlimited colour possibilities using just a few base colours [1]. As Novenda Technologies continues to expand its platform to other dental applications and enter new markets, it promises to set a new quality standard for dental products and enhance affordability of dental care for patients.
References: [1] Novenda Technologies. (n.d.). About Us. Retrieved from https://www.novendatechnologies.com/about-us [2] Novenda Technologies. (n.d.). Our Technology. Retrieved from https://www.novendatechnologies.com/our-technology [3] Novenda Technologies. (n.d.). Smart Print Modes. Retrieved from https://www.novendatechnologies.com/smart-print-modes [4] Novenda Technologies. (2022, January 13). Novenda Technologies raises €5.5 million for dental product manufacturing transformation. Retrieved from https://www.novendatechnologies.com/news/novenda-technologies-raises-5-5-million-for-dental-product-manufacturing-transformation [5] Novenda Technologies. (n.d.). Our Markets. Retrieved from https://www.novendatechnologies.com/our-markets [6] Dental Tribune. (2022, March 10). Multi-material jetting is the future in dental. Retrieved from https://www.dental-tribune.com/news/multi-material-jetting-is-the-future-in-dental/ [7] Novenda Technologies. (n.d.). Patents. Retrieved from https://www.novendatechnologies.com/patents [8] Dental Tribune. (2022, March 10). Novenda Technologies introduces new night guards with exceptional surface finish. Retrieved from https://www.dental-tribune.com/news/novenda-technologies-introduces-new-night-guards-with-exceptional-surface-finish/ [9] Novenda Technologies. (n.d.). Our Team. Retrieved from https://www.novendatechnologies.com/our-team
- The digital transformation in the dental industry continues with Novenda Technologies' focus on investing in large and mid-size dental laboratories across Europe and the US, using data-and-cloud-computing to optimize their finance and real-estate operations.
- As Novenda Technologies expands its business, it leverages technology to digitally transform its denture and nightguard production, utilizing multi-material 3D printing technology, reducing manual processes, and enhancing product quality and aesthetics.
- With the success of its innovation in the dental industry, experts forecast a possible digital transformation in the larger field of finance, predicting that similar investing strategies and technology-driven operational improvements may impact various sectors, such as real-estate and business in general, thanks to the benefits of data-and-cloud-computing.
