From Scan to Solution: Invent Medical’s Blueprint for Mass Personalization

Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi reveal how ventilated helmets, HP’s MJF tech, and precision scanning are changing outcomes for thousands of young patients.

Invent Medical, based in the Czech Republic, is more than just a prosthetics and orthotics company—it’s a pioneer in additive manufacturing. From its early forays into CAD/CAM design, the company has consistently pushed the envelope, evolving through advanced HP Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) systems, and now leveraging state-of-the-art 3D scanners to shape truly patient-specific medical devices.

Each year, Invent Medical rigorously analyzes around 30 different 3D scanning systems to ensure they select the most accurate, efficient, and user-friendly options. In February 2024, their collaboration with SHINING 3D introduced the EinScan H/H2 scanner, delivering sub-0.05 mm accuracy and streamlined cranial scanning workflows. These scanners feed precise digital head models into Invent Medical’s proprietary software—enabling quick remodeling, helmet customization, and full-color, symbol-personalized designs.

A Global Footprint: Scaling with Precision

Today, Invent Medical distributes tens of thousands of devices—skull‑shaping helmets (like the Talee), ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs), and prosthetic sockets—to over 800 hospitals across 40 countries.

Using HP MJF technology has been transformative. Traditional foam models and thermoforming can take days and are fraught with inconsistencies. Switching to 3D scanning and HP MJF, Invent Medical streamlined production—printing designs fast and scalably while maintaining mechanical integrity. That kind of shift embodies what experts call “mass personalization”—creating one-off medical devices at industrial pace.

Materials Innovation: Comfort Meets Performance

A standout focus for Invent Medical has been improving cranial-environment comfort. Infants and active children often sweat inside helmets, compromising compliance and effectiveness—especially in warmer climates. To combat this, Invent Medical developed perforated, low-profile helmets with optimized ventilation patterns, designed to reduce sweating dramatically. These innovations are detailed in our HVAC-focused article with Bryan Costello, highlighting environmental comfort engineering in medical wearables.

Using the right materials has been pivotal. HP’s PA‑11 and PA‑12 powders are biocompatible, isotropic, and mechanically robust—ideal for devices worn against skin. Moreover, additive workflows generate far less waste than traditional models—97 % less for custom insoles —while enabling thorough digital records and streamlined refitting.

International Expansion: Lessons from the Field

Invent Medical’s CEO, Jiri Rosicky, stresses that while human anatomy is universal, the medical device business varies worldwide. In the U.S., reimbursement is tightly tied to efficiency and classification—they must secure an L Code for insurance coverage. European markets, conversely, emphasize fit and comfort over speed, with less pressure on coding.

Consequently, successful strategies in one region don’t automatically translate to another. Entering new markets demands fresh analysis, staff training, and regulatory navigation. Their stance is clear: international growth must be strategic—one launch at a time.

These insights resonate across the med-tech industry. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Local payer systems, regulatory frameworks, and cultural acceptance shape product success. Innovators must invest in regional partnerships, adapt workflows, and adjust messaging—Invent Medical’s journey exemplifies that.

3D Printing in O&P: Broader Context

Invent Medical isn’t alone. The entire orthotics & prosthetics (O&P) field is experiencing a digital overhaul. Industrial 3D printing is enabling full-device production, not just prototyping.

Key Trends Across the Sector:

• Digital Workflows: 3D scanning → CAD → MJF printing saves time and boosts precision. Clinicians regain hours once spent on custom molds.
• Personalization & Design Freedom: Digital records allow reprints, remixes, and creative aesthetics. Patients—especially kids—actively participate in color, texture, and shape choices.
• Open-Source and Community Innovation: Groups like e-NABLE and Robohand have democratized 3D prosthetics with downloadable files, empowering thousands globally.
• Advanced Materials: HP’s Metal Jet and binder‑jet systems (initially for steel) illustrate the shift toward stronger, functional parts. In medical devices, binder-jet and sintering methods deliver clinical-grade precision.

The Pipeline: From Scan to Patient

1. Scan: Rapid capture with high-resolution devices (e.g., EinScan H/H2) ensures <0.05 mm accuracy.
2. Design: Software (Invent Medical’s or HP’s Arize) converts scans to devices, factoring airflow, mechanical strength, and aesthetics.
3. 3D Print: HP MJF prints layer-by-layer using biocompatible powders (PA11/PA12), achieving isotropic strength and optimal surface finish.
4. Post-Processing: Depending on the device, parts may be dyed, sanitized, trimmed, and quality-tested.
5. Fit & Iterate: Digital records support fast refits and iterative improvements without recasting.

This is exactly what has propelled Invent Medical’s growth: repeatable precision, ecological footprint reduction, and customization at scale.

Challenges & The Road Ahead

While 3D printing unleashes vast potential, challenges remain:

• High-Capacity Requirements: HP’s commercial printers (e.g., 5200 series) are expensive and demand-controlled environments, often a barrier for smaller clinics.
• Regulatory Hurdles: Parts like cranial helmets and surgical guides require medical compliance (e.g., FDA, EU MDR) and reimbursement approvals like L Codes in the U.S.
• Skills Gap: Clinicians must master scanning, CAD, and printer operation—bridging the divide between maker communities and regulated med-tech firms.
• International Nuance: Each country’s healthcare infrastructure and payer systems force unique go-to-market plans, making global expansion a bespoke challenge.

Why Invent Medical Sets the Standard

Invent Medical shines because it’s tackled every link in this advanced chain:

• Scanner Benchmarking: Testing 30 scanners annually ensures they stay at the cutting edge.
• Material R&D: Developing ventilated helmets that reduce sweating in warm climates is a patient-first innovation.
• Compliance Engineering: They pack their workflow with ISO-tested, biocompatible MJF materials .
• Scalable Production: Tens of thousands of devices shipped globally proves that their design-to-delivery pipeline works.
• Strategic Scaling: Selective, region-specific entry into markets—not blanket expansion.
• Knowledge-Driven: Internal research, supported by HP and scanning partners, pushes medical-grade additive manufacturing forward.

Looking to the Future

Additive manufacturing is steadily redefining the O&P landscape. Analysts forecast a US$11 billion global 3D printing market by 2032, driven by mass personalization in healthcare. Beyond orthotics, applications span surgical guides, bioprinted tissue models, and even metal implants.

Invent Medical’s playbook is a blueprint: integrate the full stack—from scanner to fitting—and customize workflows to local needs. Their success suggests a broader transformation in healthcare: the shift from “one-size-fits-most” to “designed uniquely for you.”

The Research & Development Tax Credit

The now permanent Research and Development (R&D) Tax Credit is available for companies developing new or improved products, processes and/or software.

3D printing can help boost a company’s R&D Tax Credits. Wages for technical employees creating, testing and revising 3D printed prototypes are typically eligible expenses toward the R&D Tax Credit. Similarly, when used as a method of improving a process, time spent integrating 3D printing hardware and software can also be an eligible R&D expense. Lastly, when used for modeling and preproduction, the costs of filaments consumed during the development process may also be recovered.

Whether it is used for creating and testing prototypes or for final production, 3D printing is a great indicator that R&D Credit-eligible activities are taking place. Companies implementing this technology at any point should consider taking advantage of R&D Tax Credits.

With a California facility, the company will be able to utilize the lucrative California R&D tax credit for its U.S. innovation activities

Conclusion

Invent Medical has transformed the prosthetics and orthotics fields through relentless innovation in 3D printing. Invent’s exploitation of high-resolution scanners, biocompatible MJF materials, patient comfort engineering, and region-specific international strategy makes it a global leader. Invent has navigated the complexity of medical compliance and logistics to deliver tens of thousands of devices across 800 hospitals in 40 countries.

Their lessons are universal:

• Use digital tools end-to-end: scanning → design → print
• Prioritize materials and comfort
• Adapt expansion to local regulatory and cultural ecosystems
• Invest in personnel training and process control

As 3D printing matures, companies that mirror Invent Medical’s holistic and patient-centered methodology will shape the future of personalized healthcare.