News and Insights of 3D Printing and Manufacturing
Researchers at MIT and the Polytechnic University of Milan have developed a low-cost, AI-driven monitoring platform for 3D bioprinting that improves tissue reproducibility, reduces material waste, and lays the foundation for intelligent, automated fabrication of complex biological structures.
U.S.-based medical device company Airway Management has received FDA clearance for the Nylon flexTAP, described as the world’s first digitally printed single-point midline oral appliance for sleep apnea. The device, manufactured in the U.S., combines the company’s patented Vertex Technology with a design intended for patients with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). By using digital printing, the Nylon flexTAP enables a custom fit without requiring bite registration, which can simplify the fitting process for clinicians and patients.
Irish orthopedic manufacturing specialist Croom Medical has introduced Biofuse, a 3D printed porous ingrowth technology for orthopedic implants. Developed using laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing, the platform allows OEMs to integrate lattice structures directly into implant geometries, in line with ASTM F1854 standards.
Dr. Mansoor Khan, researcher of Texas A&M University is advancing the use of 3D printing to produce medications tailored for children, addressing long-standing challenges in pediatric dosing. By creating dose-flexible tablets, his approach ensures that children receive the exact amount of medication required for their age and weight, eliminating the need for pharmacists to manipulate adult pills, a process that can result in imprecise dosages.
Children’s Nebraska, the state’s only free-standing pediatric hospital, recently used 3D printing to produce a custom superhero action figure for a five-year-old cancer patient. The Omaha-based non-profit operates 231 beds and more than 50 specialty clinics, providing care for children from Nebraska, western Iowa, South Dakota, northern Kansas, and northwestern Missouri.
Researchers at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) have successfully 3D bioprinted miniature placentas, opening a new path for investigating pregnancy complications. The study, published in Nature Communications and led by Associate Professor Lana McClements with first author Dr Claire Richards, highlights the potential of this technology in addressing conditions such as preeclampsia, which affects 5–8% of pregnancies and contributes to global maternal and infant mortality.
Anatomy Warehouse, a supplier of anatomical teaching resources, has entered an exclusive partnership with Germany-based Erler-Zimmer to introduce advanced 3D printed anatomical models to classrooms and training centers across the U.S. Created with Monash University in Australia and produced in Germany, the Erler-Zimmer 3D Anatomy Series is transforming access to realistic, high-quality anatomy tools for students and educators.
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Tissium, a Paris-based medical technology company founded on MIT research, has secured De Novo marketing authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its non-traumatic peripheral nerve repair platform. The clearance enables commercialization of its first product, which uses a flexible, biocompatible polymer that bonds to wet tissue when activated by blue light. In a recent clinical trial of 12 patients, all of whom completed follow-up, regained full flexion and extension of their injured digits, and reported no pain 12 months after surgery.