3D Printing Medical Supplies: The Future of Medical Technology

The current market for 3D printed medical devices is estimated at around USD 2.9 billion, and it’s growing fast. In fact, the market is expected to quadruple over the next ten years. It’s not just prosthetics and implants; 3D printing has an impressive range of current applications, with many exciting developments on the horizon. It’s revolutionizing manufacturing and production in numerous ways, as well.

Here’s a look at current developments in 3D printing, and a peek at where things may be headed.

The Current State of Affairs

Currently 3D printing technology has numerous medical applications, including instrumentation, implants, external prosthetics, PPE, anatomical models, and dental restorations.

Medical Equipment and Surgical Instruments

3D printing has proven a fast and cost-efficient way of producing medical equipment and surgical instruments and instrument parts, as well as precise guides for the surgical placement of devices. Examples include scalpel handles, forceps, needle drivers, retractors, and hemostats.

Implants

Certain types of implants—such as hip joints and cranial plates—lend themselves to 3D printing technology, but these are just the beginning. Even more exciting, 3D printing allows medical device manufacturers to customize implants to the needs and conditions of the specific patient.

External Prosthetics

3D printed prosthetics can not only be tailored to the patient, but can also be lighter and stronger than traditionally produced prosthetics, commonly used in orthopedics.

PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)

During the first COVID-19 surge of the pandemic, 3D printing manufacturing allowed for the rapid and cost-efficient production of personal protective equipment, helping to ease PPE shortages in some areas. This technology also proved useful for the rapid production of medical products for patient care, including testing supplies and ventilators.

Dental Applications

Current 3D printing technology allows dental professionals to create custom veneers, crowns, implants, and more, using a scan of the patient’s mouth and jaw. Sometimes these restorations can even be manufactured while the patient waits.

Prototype Development

A particularly exciting medical application of 3D manufacturing technology is the development of prototypes, from anatomical models to human organs. 3D printed models can help to hasten the development of medicines, procedures, and medical interventions for specific conditions.

What 3D Printing Brings to the Table for Healthcare

3D printing has several distinct advantages over traditional manufacturing processes.

Geometric Complexity

3D printers, with the help of computer-aided design, enable the production of complex shapes and geometries that would be difficult or impossible to assemble by hand. 

Bespoke Devices

Each patient’s anatomy is unique, which means that one-size-fits-all devices may be less successful for certain individuals whose needs or conditions may diverge from the standard. 3D printing allows for the creation of patient-matched device design. Devices can be produced using a template, then scaled up or down, or otherwise customized to the anatomy and condition of a specific patient.

Agile, Cost Efficient Production

3D printed medical devices are created using a digital CAD file. Product development is therefore quicker and easier, and doesn’t require modifications to manufacturing equipment. This agility translates into cost efficiency, making it more cost-effective to produce a smaller number of devices or even a single device.

Enhanced Collaboration

CAD-based digital design makes collaboration easier and more effective for surgeons and designers alike, as surgeons can discuss equipment needed in surgical planning and designers can easily manipulate and modify 3D models virtually. This can also speed up workflow, improving time spent on test cycles and production.

How 3D Printing Processes Work

There are numerous types of 3D printing, which use a surprisingly large and diverse array of raw materials. These are the most common types of 3D printing technologies in healthcare used today.

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)

Hobbyists will be familiar with this technology, which uses extruded plastic to create objects.

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), also known as Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) creates objects using a continuous extruded filament of thermoplastic material such as PET or TPU. The printer lays down the extruded material in layers. Once the layers are in the desired configuration, the 3D printing head melts them into a continuous profile.

Vat Polymerization

Vat polymerization is the name of a group of 3D printing technologies that create solid objects by exposing a liquid photopolymer resin to UV or LED light. Some examples of vat polymerization include stereolithography (SLA) and digital light processing (DLP).

Powder Bed Fusion

Powder bed fusion is very common in the 3D printing of medical devices. Like vat polymerization, the term powder bed fusion describes a group of processes. These processes create objects from a variety of different raw materials in powder form, including nylon, stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, and others. As with FDM, powder bed fusion creates objects in layers.

Issues in 3D Printed Medical Devices

New technologies invariably create new challenges. 3D printed medical devices are no exception.

Low cost and ease of use have led to an unprecedented democratization of production. One doesn’t need to set up an entire traditional manufacturing operation, complete with specialized equipment and trained employees to create healthcare equipment such as surgical tools.

This same democratization, however, presents challenges for quality control. Traditional device producers and 3D print designers have different skill sets, which may not always translate to equal quality of output across device companies in the medical device industry.

Currently, commercial 3D printed medical devices are must meet regulatory requirements set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The evolution of the field, however, is providing additional regulatory considerations. As a result, the FDA is currently evaluating its regulatory framework.