How 3-D Printing Is Changing Cardio and Ortho Applications (QMED)
While 3-D printing is catching on, medical device manufacturers should consider it carefully before jumping in head first.
“What’s really unique about 3-D printing is that it adds material to build a part, as opposed to subtracting or molding a part,” Wivell explains. “Thus, it is capable of producing really complex designs that can’t be manufactured any other way.”Several speakers will take the podium at MD&M East to offer their insights into 3-D printing. Among them will be ColleenWivell, biomedical engineering manager at Materialise (Plymouth, MI), a provider of 3-D printing software and services. On June 11, Wivell will join a panel of experts whose objective will be to address the major speed bumps that medical device companies face in integrating 3-D printing into their manufacturing lifecycles.
3-D printing differs from other manufacturing methods in its build orientation. First, in 3-D printing operations, parts are built layer by layer. Second, because there are many different types of 3-D printing machines and materials, users must decide what works best for the products they manufacture. Third, print ...
