With a key focus on Medical 3D printing and emerging technologies
While their growth percentages often vary, market analysis firms agree with the fact that 3D printing technology has witnessed increased adoption in the healthcare sector. Growing trends can lead to a necessity for more 3D printing in hospitals but for many reasons, we are still far away from a daily use of these technologies. This can certainly be explained by the fact that 3D printing intertwines with so many technologies, and sometimes, the complexity increases tenfold in a vital sector like medicine.
To date, stakeholders currently focus their research, investments and attention on four main pillars: surgery preparation and execution, implants and bioprinting, orthotics and prosthetics, as well as regulatory aspects. All of these pillars need to be discussed, and that’s exactly what we did in this edition of 3D ADEPT Mag.
Exclusive features
DOSSIER: The Tiny World of micro-additive manufacturing technologies
In the manufacturing industry in general, most innovations evolve around the ability to produce large 3D printed parts. However, with the growing demand for miniaturized devices in electronics, biotechnology, automotive, and aerospace, there is an increasing interest in micro-additive manufacturing technologies. So, how big is the market of little parts? With key contributions from Fabrica, a Nano Dimension company as well as Nanoscribe.
DOSSIER: The different roads that lead to effective 3D bioprinting
Whenever one reads an announcement that highlights 3D printed organs, one can easily be tempted to think that these organs can already be implanted within a human body but reality shows that there is a large gap between the capabilities and limitations encountered with 3D bioprinting. With key contributions from REGENHU and Ourobionics.
FOCUS on YOU Series: Lithoz on the factors to consider when exploring technical ceramics in medical AM and why they are a good fit for dental applications
On the heels of a dossier that highlights “the current manufacturing landscape of Ceramic 3D printing and the business model that drives industrial applications” (March/April edition of 3D ADEPT Mag – pp 6-12), it feels right to focus on a vertical industry where there is still a long way to go for industry professionals to fully exploit the potential of ceramic 3D printing: the healthcare and medical industries.
Materials: Using Hardmetals in Additive Manufacturing: Why? How? And What are the areas for improvement?
Over 75% of the 118 elements on the periodic table are made of metals. There are so many different types of metals, all of which depend on whether they are elements, compounds or alloys. In the non-exhaustive list of these materials, only a short group has the luxury to be processed by additive manufacturing technologies. Amid them, hardmetals seem to struggle to carve out a place in this niche market.
Written with the support of Dr. Johannes Pötschke, Group leader hardmetals and cermets at Fraunhofer IKTS.
Software: Digital Twins in (additive) manufacturing environments: what are the major challenges to overcome?
A Digital Twin (DT) technology might be a potential solution that can be leveraged to overcome many issues in additive manufacturing but the lack of thorough understanding of the DT concept, framework, and development methods constitute key factors that slow down the development and integration of such technology across AM production environments.
EVENT | AM Shapers Segment: Medical goes Additive, a division of MGA
Today, as part of this executive Q&A series, we asked Dr. Cora Lüders-Theuerkauf, Network Manager MGA Medical at MGA Mobility where the organization and the medical 3D printing market are headed.
Start-up AREA: How MetShape uses indirect AM process LMM for Medical 3D printing and more.
The story goes that MetShape’s journey started at the Hochschule Pforzheim as part of a project that focused on the recycling of magnets. While the results were not what was expected, the project revealed the potential of LMM technology – the manufacturing process used within the project -for the production of high-precision metal components with very good surfaces.
Post-processing: The must-have technical features in an automated powder removal system
Whether they are in the aerospace, consumer goods or medical industry, users want to be able to perform powder removal easily and perfectly. The irony here is that when additive manufacturing was not mature enough, users complained about the fact that they performed this task manually – which in the end took too much time and was expensive – but with the current maturity of the technology, users have understood the need for a machine that can do it for them, yet continue to complain. Does the current challenge lie in the lack of the right technical features within these machines? Let’s put it like this: what are the technical features that will enable a powder removal machine to do the job well?
The writing of this exclusive feature has been led by Kety Sindze, Managing Editor at 3D ADEPT Media. Two other experts with different backgrounds assist in the preparation and writing of this article: Nicolas Bouduban, CEO & Founder of Swiss m4m Center AG and Dr. Martin McMahon, Additive Manufacturing Consultant.
Industry News: What happened in the medical 3D printing industry during the past months?
Innovations across demanding industries can often steal the thunder to medical 3D printing innovations. In this news roundup, we shed light on news, product launches, collaborations, and applications you shouldn’t have missed in this vertical since the beginning of the year.