The May 8, 2017 online edition of MedTech Intelligence featured Medical Device Development’s Use of 3-D Printing: Applications and Common Processes by StarFish Medical Mechanical Engineer, Nathan Müller.
Nathan notes: “From form studies to production-ready, functional components, the medtech applications for 3-D printed parts are growing rapidly. Parts created in 3-D design software can be quoted almost instantly by a myriad of 3-D printing shops. With a growing number of vendors offering online and automated quote apps, the time required to iterate on the design for manufacturability compresses significantly. Lead times for parts are being reduced—most parts can be made and delivered within 24 hours.”
In addition to applications for medical devices, Nathan describes popular manufacturing methods. He concludes, “The flexibility of 3-D printing in medtech comes down to several aspects: speed of the design cycle, cleanliness of the process, resolution of the finished part, and the variety of materials and processes available.”