3D printing showed that it's gaining momentum in the medical industry, as suppliers at the Design & Manufacturing Show in Minneapolis demonstrated new applications for the technology.

Medical device manufacturers at the show said they are using 3D printing to build concept models and functional prototypes, as well as manufacturing tools and even end-use parts. "It takes a little bit of forward thinking to bring in a 3D printer for the first time," noted Matt Havekost of AdvancedTek. "But once you do it, it takes off like wildfire."

At a technical session examining advancements in 3D printing, Cardiovascular Systems Inc. (CSI) showed how its engineering staff used fused deposition modeling to build prototypes and anatomy models for the company's atherectomy devices, which remove calcified plaque from human arteries. Christopher Narveson, a senior sustaining engineer for CSI, said 3D printers have been key in enabling the company to build five generations of its product in six years. Additive manufacturing techniques enabled the staff to build concept models, custom fixtures, and tools very quickly, he said.

At the tech session, Narveson also showed off 3D-printed anatomy models that it gives to physicians. "If we can give the customer an anatomy model that represents a true heart or leg artery, then they can use it to train doctors and lab technicians," Narveson explained. He said the anatomy model was built in ABS plastic on a Fortus 360mc printer from Stratasys.

The 3D printing theme was echoed by other exhibitors at the show, as well. Formlabs showed how its desktop stereolithography systems helped in the development of a medical suturing device called Sutrue, which automates the precise stitching of wounds and surgical sites. "Without a desktop 3D printer, the designer would have spent 10 times as much to have it prototyped by a service bureau," explained JP Shipley of Formlabs. Formlabs also showed how medical device manufacturer Autonomic Technologies used 3D-printed artificial skulls to enable surgeons to practice implantation of neurostimulation devices in the brain.

Similarly, Proto Labs displayed a one-inch-long surgical clamping jaw that was built by one of its customers on a 3D printer. The part is well suited for 3D printing because it is manufactured in very low volumes, the company said. "They can do their design validation and get the part back as quickly as three days," noted Eric Utley of Proto Labs.

Engineers at the show agreed that 3D printing technology's most important advantages lie in design validation and verification, as well as in faster design cycle times. "Today, it's a key part of our engineering workflow," Narveson said. "I can't remember how we lived without it."

Senior technical editor Chuck Murray has been writing about technology for 31 years. He joined Design News in 1987, and has covered electronics, automation, fluid power, and autos.

[images via Design News]

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