The Centre for Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing (CRPM) at the Central University of Technology, Free State, is a leading African centre for Additive Manufacturing and advanced manufacturing technologies. Established in 1997, CRPM combines research, technology development, industrial collaboration and societal impact to develop innovative solutions to real-world challenges.
CRPM Impact at a Glance
CRPM’s story is not simply research output. It combines technology development, industrial capability, clinical application, skills development and societal impact. This dashboard captures that breadth in six numbers.
1997
Established
25 000+
Titanium Components Manufactured Using AM*
5 000+
Patients Benefiting from CRPM AM Solutions*
40
Years of Collective Metal AM Expertise*
30+
Years of Advanced Manufacturing Development
39
Patients Targeted Through CSI Initiatives*
*Cumulative figures drawn from project and production reporting, reviewed and updated through the centre’s annual reporting cycle.
Certified since 2016 · First in South Africa and Africa
ISO 13485 Certification for Medical Additive Manufacturing
ISO 13485 is the international quality management standard for medical devices. CRPM’s certification covers the 3D printing of medical devices, confirming that every step of the pathway, from digital design and 3D scanning through printing, post-processing and final documentation, operates under a rigorously audited quality management system.
What This Certification Actually Means
Many people assume ISO 13485 is simply ISO 9001 applied to medical devices. It is not. While ISO 9001 certifies that an organisation has a general quality management system, ISO 13485 certifies that every single step of the medical device lifecycle — design controls, risk management, process validation, material traceability, manufacturing, documentation and post-production surveillance — is governed by a regulated quality system. It reaches into the design, not just the delivery.
This makes CRPM the first centre in South Africa, and in Africa, to receive this prestigious certification as an Additive Manufacturing centre — a distinction that positions the centre as the continent’s reference point for medical 3D printing.
Why This Certification Matters
Certification of this kind is rare for any Additive Manufacturing facility. In practice, it means:
Patient Safety, Engineered In
Every patient-specific device is produced under a certified quality management system: controlled, audited and fully traceable from the first scan to the final clinical part.
Regulatory-Grade Quality
ISO 13485 is the quality system recognised by health product regulators worldwide. Certification aligns CRPM’s manufacturing processes with the standards its clinical partners must meet.
A Continental First
As the first centre in South Africa and Africa to hold ISO 13485 for Additive Manufacturing, CRPM sets the benchmark against which medical 3D printing on the continent is measured.
A Trusted Partner for Industry
Certified quality is often a precondition for clinical and industrial collaboration. Hospitals, manufacturers and investors can engage with CRPM knowing quality is not a promise but a certified, audited system.
ISO 13485 certification is not a one-off award. It is maintained through rigorous annual surveillance audits and periodic recertification, ensuring CRPM’s quality system keeps pace with the technology it governs.
National Regulatory Approval · Medical Devices
SAHPRA Manufacturing License
Beyond international quality standards, CRPM holds a manufacturing license from the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA). As the statutory body responsible for the evaluation, registration, and control of health products in South Africa, SAHPRA ensures that all medical devices entering the market are safe, effective, and of the highest quality.
Holding this license means CRPM is not just an advanced research facility; it is a legally authorised medical device manufacturer. This statutory approval provides the legal framework required to translate patient-specific 3D-printed solutions from the laboratory directly into clinical practice and hospital operating theatres.
The Complete Regulatory Picture
ISO 13485 and the SAHPRA manufacturing license work hand-in-hand to guarantee patient safety and clinical efficacy:
- ISO 13485 certifies the quality system — proving that CRPM's design, manufacturing, and documentation processes meet global medical standards.
- SAHPRA provides the legal mandate — granting CRPM the statutory authority to manufacture those devices for clinical use within South Africa.
Together, these accreditations position CRPM as one of the most highly regulated, compliant, and trusted Additive Manufacturing centres in Africa, ready to partner with local hospitals and global medical device companies.
Corporate Social Investment
Using advanced manufacturing to improve lives.
Through externally funded initiatives, CRPM turns advanced manufacturing into measurable human impact. Each featured project shows not only what was funded, but what the funding achieved.
Patient-Specific Medical Solutions · Philanthropic and Government Funded
Changing Faces, Changing Lives
Patients in the public healthcare sector who live with severe facial or bodily disfigurement — through disease, birth defects or trauma — often have no access to reconstructive care. Left untreated, these conditions can leave patients unable to eat, drink or communicate normally. Through Changing Faces, Changing Lives, CRPM deploys advanced design, 3D scanning and Additive Manufacturing to manufacture patient-specific prostheses and implants that restore function, dignity and quality of life.
This targeted campaign is part of CRPM’s broader clinical mandate; cumulatively, more than 5,000 patients have directly benefited from CRPM’s 3D-printed medical solutions since 2019. The campaign’s lineage was recognised with the CEFF 50th Anniversary Award for the project with the most impact, and today, structured co-funding continues to leverage philanthropic support into matching contributions, keeping locally developed reconstructive care within reach of public-sector patients.
5 000+
Patients Benefiting
(Cumulative CRPM medical impact since 2019)
Technology
Advanced design, surgical planning, 3D scanning and Additive Manufacturing
Focus
Cranio-maxillofacial reconstruction and external prostheses
Partners
CAF America, Wohlers Inc., Carl and Emily Fuchs Foundation and the DSTI
Figures reflect cumulative project reporting to date and are updated as the initiative grows.
Patient-Specific Medical Solutions
Wohlers Inc.
Validated Global Charity Partner
In October 2025, CUT was officially validated by CAF America in its global charity database. This certification follows an extensive international vetting process to mitigate risks of fraud, money laundering, and illicit activities, confirming CUT’s highest standards of financial integrity and global compliance.
Patients in the public healthcare sector who suffer from severe facial or bodily disfigurements due to disease, birth defects, or trauma often lack access to reconstructive resources. Left untreated, these conditions can leave patients unable to eat, drink, or communicate normally. Through the Changing Faces, Changing Lives campaign, CRPM deploys advanced design and 3D printing to manufacture patient-specific prostheses and implants, restoring function, dignity, and quality of life.
Surgeons confirm that 3D-printed planning models, cutting guides, and custom implants result in better surgical fits, reduced risk, and significantly shorter theatre times. This leads to faster patient recovery and higher throughput for healthcare facilities. The current campaign plans to assist 39 patients with life-changing reconstructions, including 26 receiving custom-design titanium 3D-printed implants and 13 receiving external silicone prostheses.
18
Patient Lives Already Improved
39
Patients to be Supported
~R900 000
Funding Leveraged
Technology
Advanced design, surgical planning and 3D printing
Focus
Cranio-maxillofacial reconstruction and external prostheses
Partners
CAF America, Wohlers Inc., Carl and Emily Fuchs Foundation, and the DSTI
Figures reflect cumulative project reporting to date and are updated as the initiative grows.
Changing Lives through 3D Printing
Carl and Emily Fuchs Foundation-funded project
Advanced Manufacturing Skills Development
Free State Premier projects
Changing Lives through 3D Printing
Carl and Emily Fuchs Foundation-funded project
Patient-Specific Medical Solutions · Continuation of Changing Faces, Changing Lives (2016–2019)
Changing Lives through 3D Printing
Despite proven success, access to patient-specific 3D-printed solutions in South Africa remains limited and inconsistent. The proposed continuation addresses this gap by moving from project-based interventions to system-level integration. The emphasis is on standardisation, clinical protocols, training, and policy-aligned implementation. Changing Lives through 3D Printing seeks to institutionalise what has already been proven possible, ensuring that benefits extend beyond individual patients to the healthcare system as a whole.
5 000+
Patients Benefiting Since 2019
(3D-printed, patient-specific implants and devices)
2016
Original Project Launch and ISO 13485 Certification
2019
MedAdd Established Through DSTI Infrastructure Funding
Recognised with the Carl and Emily Fuchs Foundation 50th Anniversary Award for the project with the most impact.
Advanced Manufacturing Skills Development
Free State Premier projects
Free State Advanced Manufacturing Skills and Prototyping Initiative
The Free State Advanced Manufacturing Skills and Prototyping Initiative is a strategic partnership between the Free State Office of the Premier and the Central University of Technology, Free State. Running from 2026 to 2030, it builds advanced manufacturing capability, technical skills and innovation capacity across the province.
The initiative gives practical expression to CUT’s strategic emphasis on skills development, government partnership and regional economic development, and stands as a leading example of government and university working together. It targets six areas with strong potential to transform the regional economy.
5
Years of Partnership
(2026 to 2030)
6
Focus Areas for Regional Development
Focus areas for regional development:
Together, these focus areas position the Free State to build a pipeline of technical talent and a prototyping engine for its emerging industries.
Services for Industry
From concept to certified part, one partner, under one roof.
CRPM works as an extension of your engineering team. Whether you need a component redesigned for 3D printing, a certified titanium part manufactured, or a new material qualified for production, our industrial systems and in-house expertise take you from first sketch to finished, tested part.
Every industrial project is backed by CRPM’s ISO 13485-certified quality system and a 25-year track record with South African industry — a journey that began as one of only six titanium EOS beta-test sites worldwide.
Discuss Your Project with CRPM →
Need full machine specifications, bed sizes and material certificates? Download the CRPM Technical Information Sheet (PDF).
Bridging the gap between advanced engineering research and scalable, commercial manufacturing solutions.
Design for Additive Manufacturing
We redesign and optimise your component for 3D printing before any material is committed, simulating strength, airflow and the printing process itself, so the part works first time.
You receive: Print-ready designs, simulation reports and a costed manufacturing route.
Metal 3D Printing
Production-grade laser melting in certified titanium (Ti-6Al-4V Grade 23), cobalt chrome and maraging tool steel, the same certified processes behind our medical implants, applied to your industrial components.
You receive: Prototypes, one-offs and series parts in aerospace- and medical-grade metals.
Polymer 3D Printing
Durable nylon prototypes and end-use parts, including flame-retardant material for aerospace applications and precision patterns for investment casting.
You receive: Functional prototypes, jigs and fixtures, casting patterns and end-use components.
Finishing, Heat Treatment and Testing
Parts leave us ready to use: vacuum heat treatment, automated surface finishing and in-house tensile and compression testing, so components arrive with evidence, not caveats.
You receive: Heat-treated, finished and mechanically verified components.
Material and Process Development
Dedicated research platforms (including a system reserved for platinum) let us qualify new metal powders and printing parameters with you, de-risking materials before they reach production.
You receive: Qualified materials, validated process parameters and joint research programmes.
Key Funders
Key Stakeholders
The CRPM Team
Dr Gerrie Booysen
Ms Joyce Moletsane
