Case Study: University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine achieves faster, more accurate, lower-cost large-animal care with Stratasys FDM 3D printing

FDM® technology plays a vital role in elevating the health care of large animals

The University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine was tackling a gap in large-animal care: many advanced, patient‑specific surgical tools and procedures used in human medicine were not available for horses and other large animals. To close that gap the team, led by Dr. Adam Biedrzycki, turned to Stratasys FDM 3D printing—principally the Stratasys Fortus 450mc and high‑performance materials such as FDM Nylon 12CF and biocompatible ULTEM™ 1010—to create surgical guides, prosthetics and implants tailored to each animal.

Using Stratasys technology the team now prints daily to produce patient‑specific surgical guides, lightweight prosthetics and implants, and low‑cost training plates and tools. The results include keratoma removals cut from a couple of hours to about 20–30 minutes, printed tools that cost roughly one‑tenth of similar metal parts, avoidance of $800 training plates by printing thermoplastic versions, and successful restorations such as a goat hoof prosthetic and a facial‑bone implant—tangible cost savings and faster, more accurate care that the University credits to Stratasys.

University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine

Adam Biedrzycki

Assistant Professor