News and Insights of 3D Printing and Manufacturing
Metal additive manufacturing processes are helping engineers to reinvent how parts are designed and produced. In the medical sector, orthopaedic implants are proving to be one of the key applications where metal AM is really having an impact, as the technology enables patient specific structures, as well as complex porous geometries which in turn allow for more lightweight implants.
A joint team of researchers from American universities has developed a 3D printed device that is capable of absorbing excess chemotherapy drugs from a patient’s body. The novel device could make chemotherapy treatments more effective while reducing the negative side effects of the harsh drugs on cancer patients.
LimaCorporate, an Italian multinational specialized in orthopaedics, is partnering with the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), one of the top orthopaedic hospitals in the U.S., to establish the first additive manufacturing facility for custom implants in a hospital environment. By founding the AM facility, the partners hope to improve the availability and accessibility of personalized orthopaedic care within the U.S.
Formlabs is the latest company to make a CES 2019 announcement. The company has introduced two new 3D printing products: Elastic Resin, said to be the company’s softest resin yet, and Digital Dentures, a cost-effective solution for the production of dentures.
Through various partnerships with Universities around the world, the Johnson & Johnson 3D Printing Center of Excellence program has been advancing 3D printing and bioprinting technologies on many different levels. Bearing the fruits of this innovation, the Group’s top skincare brand is unveiling the most personalized skincare product ever, the Neutrogena MaskiD at the Consumer Electronics Showcase (CES) in Las Vegas. This patent-pending 3D printed sheet mask is powered by user data to deliver the highest clinical efficacy.
France-based 3D printing company Prodways Group announced the acquisition of Surdifuse-L’Embout Français, a leader in hearing aid technology and specifically in the production of 3D printed custom ear tips for hearing aids.
UK-based metal AM company Renishaw revealed today it has been working in partnership with the University Dental Hospital of Wales (UDH) to 3D print custom maxillofacial implants and surgical guides. In the context of the hospital, Renishaw’s additive manufacturing technologies and services are helping UDH to overcome certain challenges surrounding surgical implants.
The days of weekly pill boxes and carefully planning dosages could soon be over thanks to a number of innovations brought about with 3D printing. The latest on this front comes from MIT, Draper and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, which have collectively developed a 3D printed ingestible capsule capable of personalized drug delivery and much more.
Treating cancer can be a challenging process that is often highly taxing on the patient being undergoing therapies. Because there is no way to know what types of therapy will be most effective for a given patient’s case, there is still an element of trial and error that comes into play—meaning that patients sometimes undergo various types of treatment before the most effective therapy is found. For obvious reasons, many biomedical researchers are looking for an alternative solution.
Researchers at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University have created a novel 3D printing workflow that allows cardiologists to evaluate how different heart valve sizes will interact with each patient’s unique anatomy before the medical procedure is actually performed. The possibility of using material jetting 3D printing to produce more proficient implantable heart valves has been amply demonstrated. In this research project, the scientists also demonstrate that 3D printing can be used as a key tool to design even more accurate replacement valves, reducing time requirements on the operating table and improving the patient’s quality of life and recovery.