Streamlining Medical Implant Development: New Alliance Revolutionizes 3D Printing

A new alliance of providers could provide an easier way to develop and produce 3D printed medical implants.

Medical implants are a popular application in the world of metal 3D printing. Hip joints, as an example, are a personalized item that must be produced in exceptional quality and conditions to be useful before implantation into a patient.

But hold on, you can’t just print them if you happen to have a metal 3D printer. There are plenty more steps involved to produce medical implants, all of which are not really found within a single company or provider.

That’s why a group of providers decided to partner on a series of processes to create a true end-to-end experience for the development and production of medical implants.

The partners in this case are:

EOS: maker of well-regarded metal 3D printers, including the powerful EOS M 300-4 and their latest Smart Fusion Software.

Precision ADM: A growing metal 3D print service focusing on aerospace and medical applications, with a bevy of regulatory certifications for production.

Orthopaedic Innovation Centre: An organization of skilled medical surgeons, scientists, engineers and technologists able to perform research, solution validation and testing.

Tecomet: A large international contract manufacturer specializing in medical devices, using a variety of making technologies including 3D printing.

What exactly would this partnership do? They explain:

“The partnership includes a full range of services including front-end engineering and design services, 510k approval pathways, device and machine validation, pre-clinical testing, and commercialization.”

In other words, it’s a one-stop shop for anyone with an idea for a medical device that wants to get it developed and into production. The parties involved are not only highly skilled in this domain, but also have all the necessary certifications to do so for medical devices.

They go on:

“Key to this partnership are the strengths and industry knowledge of each organization which delivers a seamless, turnkey solution for medical device AM. Specifically, EOS is the global technology leader in both metal and polymer AM, while Tecomet specializes in the precision manufacturing of medical devices and components. OIC provides accredited medical device testing and contract clinical research services to the orthopedic industry. Precision ADM provides comprehensive engineering and AM contract services to the medical device industry. The cohesive team enables medical device manufacturers to compress their time-to-market.”

Precision ADM CEO Martin Petrak said:

“By partnering with EOS and Tecomet, we can offer a complete suite of engineering, AM, and machining solutions that will help our customers bring their products to market faster. From materials options to lattice structures, our engineering, testing, and manufacturing services, combined with the expertise of EOS and Tecomet, will ensure that our customers have access to the best possible solution for their needs.”

The result of this should be a far smoother development lifecycle for new 3D printed metal medical devices, and that’s a good thing for everyone.

But there’s another implication here: If other 3D printer manufacturers wish to increase their sales through industry growth, this type of arrangement should become more popular. Partnering with industry experts to help create new products will absolutely drive more use of equipment and materials.

Via Precision ADM, OIC, Tecomet and EOS