According to Rob Richards, business development manager for Orchid
Design (Shelton, CT), which is part of Holt, MI–based orthopedic contract
manufacturer Orchid, 3-D printing could soon catch on for manufacturing medical
devices. Richards points out that, despite the arguments that one cannot
achieve the economies of scale possible through more traditional manufacturing
methods, several of devices are not manufactured in the same quantity as in
traditional sectors. Besides, some of them exhibit a level of complexity
that would be much more expensive to manufacture through traditional
techniques.
Several other advantages of 3D printing were
defended by Richard such as its capacity of being customized, precision and
biocompatibility: “The internal geometries and structures are also enabling
more biocompatible, porous materials that could allow orthopedic and other
implanted devices to have enhanced properties such as promoting bone growth”.
Finally, Richards states that 3D
printing is already getting more accurate, faster and cost is getting lower.
“It’s only going to get faster and cheaper.”
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