A Biomaterials and 3D-Printing Research Center from Himed
The Bioceramics Center of Excellence™ offers expert materials engineering services with rapid prototyping of next-generation medical implant designs
Bioceramic materials are enabling new approaches to orthopedic and dental device design. Combined with the manufacturing precision of additive manufacturing and ongoing advances in printable bioinks, calcium phosphate biomaterials offer new opportunities to develop highly customized implants that support hard tissue healing and osseointegration.
To help accelerate the adoption of these technologies, Himed created the Bioceramics Center of Excellence™ (BCoE)—a contract research center that combines biomaterials expertise, rapid prototyping, and analytical characterization under one roof. Companies of all sizes can evaluate calcium phosphate materials, validate new device concepts, and optimize designs through a structured R&D process that supports eventual scale-up through either conventional manufacturing methods or additive manufacturing workflows.
Ready to explore what bioceramics can add to your next device design? We're here to help.
LOCATION:
Part of Himed’s 25,000 sq. ft. facility
Old Bethpage, NY - USA
CERTIFICATIONS & REGISTRATIONS:
Scanning electron microscope (SEM) image of lithography-based 3D-printed porous internal matrix composed primarily of beta tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP); one of numerous bioceramic printing materials with bioresorbable properties which are currently under research and development at the Bioceramics Center of Excellence.
Accelerate your medical implant R&D with advanced 3D-printed prototyping
The Bioceramics Center of Excellence™ (BCoE) utilizes lithography-based ceramic manufacturing (LCM) to rapidly produce and refine prototype designs. Unlike many additive manufacturing processes, LCM combines exceptional dimensional accuracy with a clear path to scalable production, enabling the fabrication of complex bioceramic structures often required for orthopedic and dental applications. This capability allows engineers to evaluate design concepts, material performance, and manufacturability early in the development process.
For many organizations, investing in additive manufacturing equipment before establishing technical feasibility presents unnecessary risk. The BCoE provides a cost-effective alternative, allowing device developers to explore new materials and manufacturing strategies while accelerating proof-of-concept development. Working alongside Himed's materials scientists and engineers, teams can quickly move from digital models to functional prototypes and gain a clearer understanding of whether a concept warrants further investment.
Himed uses Lithoz’s LCM technology, which is unsurpassed in print fidelity and is designed to minimize material waste.
Integrated analytical services for superior biomaterials & device characterization
The analytical capabilities of the Bioceramics Center of Excellence™ (BCoE) transform prototypes into actionable engineering data. Drawing on more than thirty-five years of biomaterials expertise, Himed helps clients understand how material composition, surface morphology, crystallinity, density, and mechanical performance influence device behavior—providing the insights needed to make informed development decisions.
By combining advanced characterization techniques with rapid prototyping, the BCoE creates a highly iterative R&D environment where designs can be evaluated, refined, and re-tested within a single workflow. High-resolution imaging, chemical analysis, and mechanical testing generate the technical evidence required to support validation activities, regulatory planning, and future manufacturing decisions while reducing the time and cost associated with managing multiple external vendors.
With a dedicated team specializing in biomaterials characterization, Himed delivers the data you need to make informed decisions throughout your R&D process.
BCoE ANALYTICAL CAPABILITIES
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY (SEM)
energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS/EDX)
X-Ray Powder Diffraction (XRD)
ICP Elemental Analysis
FTIR Spectrospcopy Services
Particle Size & Moisture Analysis
Tensile/Shear Mechanical Testing
Taber Abrasion Testing
SKELETAL DENSITY/Gas PycnometRY
Tailored solutions for enhanced bioceramic implant outcomes
Many of Himed's most significant material developments began with a specific engineering challenge. The Bioceramics Center of Excellence™ (BCoE) builds on prototype development and analytical characterization by helping clients tailor bioceramic materials to the demands of their application, manufacturing process, and performance objectives.
Working collaboratively with customers, Himed's scientists and engineers evaluate how factors such as composition, particle morphology, crystallinity, porosity, and surface characteristics influence device behavior. Whether the goal is to improve printability, increase mechanical durability, control resorption rates, or enhance biological response, the BCoE applies decades of calcium phosphate expertise to refine materials for both performance and manufacturability.
The result is a material strategy that aligns biological objectives, manufacturing requirements, and commercial feasibility from the earliest stages of development.
SEM image of a hydroxyapatite surface engineered to reproduce key features of human dental enamel. Custom biomaterial development and advanced analytical characterization are core capabilities of Himed’s Bioceramics Center of Excellence™.
A clear path from implant prototype to production
Successful medical device development requires more than an optimized design—it requires a manufacturing strategy capable of producing consistent results at every stage of commercialization. The Bioceramics Center of Excellence™ (BCoE) supports this transition by ensuring that material selections, processing methods, and performance objectives remain aligned as projects move from research and development toward production.
For early production needs, the BCoE can manufacture limited quantities of validated designs while development programs continue to mature. When demand requires larger-scale manufacturing, Himed's partnership with Adva Cera provides a seamless pathway to serial production using the same lithography-based ceramic manufacturing (LCM) technology employed during development. This continuity reduces technical risk, preserves critical design knowledge, and helps organizations avoid many of the delays traditionally associated with transferring a product from prototype to commercial manufacturing.
The result is a streamlined development pathway that carries bioceramic innovations from concept through qualified production with greater confidence and efficiency.
Industry Partners
The Bioceramics Center of Excellence is further supported by partnerships with the following companies:
Ready to discover what is possible with bioceramic materials?
Contact our team to explore how the Bioceramics Center of Excellence™ can support your R&D efforts.