Bench Talk

3D printing is a versatile technique impacting many industry sectors due to its customizability, speed, and ability to create highly complex parts. In this blog, we discuss the types of medical devices well-suited for 3D printing.

3D printing is a versatile technique impacting many industries due to its customizability, speed, and ability to create highly complex parts. Medical professionals can now select from several 3D printing methods capable of creating polymer, ceramic, and metal medical devices tailored to a patient’s specific needs.

3D printing, otherwise known as additive manufacturing, has grown over the years to become a beneficial and versatile manufacturing tool. While many 3D printing methods produce bulk objects, it is now possible to 3D print nanoscale structures through two-photon lithography.

There is no other product that singularly captures the essence of the maker movement more than the 3D printer. It is difficult to describe the feeling you get when you use a 3D printer for the first time. It truly is a euphoric rush once you realize you have the ability to take a mere concept in your mind’s eye and bring it to a tangible reality. There are many technologies driving the plethora of additive manufacturing products available today including stereolithography, Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), Electron Beam Melting (EBM) and the most universally recognized Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) method.

Humanity has streamlined the process of manufacturing several times over the course of its history. First, we channeled water and steam to mechanize production. Then we learned to harness electrical power for mass production. Next, electronics and information technology helped us increase automation. Now with 3-D design and printing, we’re able to blend the physical, virtual, biological, and chemical.

“Young people in Britain have become a lost generation who can no longer mend gadgets and appliances because they have grown up in a disposable world.” I recently came across this quote in an article from the U.K. publication ‘The Telegraph’ in a story that discussed the lack of ‘fix it’ ability in younger generations. This notion is attributed to Danielle George, a Professor of Radio Frequency Engineering at the University of Manchester. I certainly agree that, in concept, as electronic devices have gotten smaller, more robust, and cheaper, we as a society (not just 'young people') have collectively bought into the ‘replace-not-repair’ mindset. In addition, we live in an era where like clockwork a new iPhone is delivered every 12 months. We sometimes choose to replace an older broken device for a new one simply to gain access to new features only available in the newer models. Has this coalesced into a generation that can’t repair anything that breaks? Perhaps.