Will 3D Printing Become a New Breakthrough in Orthopedics

John Beckett, the technical director of Europac 3D, one of the leading suppliers of equipment and technologies for 3D printing, discusses how they help their clients utilize 3D printing and advanced manufacturing technologies to accelerate the design process of innovative developments, ensuring revolutionary medical devices reach the market faster.

In recent years, medical device manufacturers have increasingly entered into partnerships with companies providing 3D printing services to create a new generation of medical devices and technologies. The British company Crispin Orthotics specializes in the production and maintenance of orthoses, special devices designed to unload, stabilize, activate, and correct the functions of a damaged joint or limb. They were looking for new solutions in 3D printing and computer-aided design software that could meet the growing demand for orthoses while reducing printing costs and increasing the speed of part production.

The company was attracted by the Multi Jet Fusion 3D printer model from the well-known manufacturer HP, which has been proven to have nearly ten times the printing speed while also halving the cost of parts compared to the previously used SLS technology based on layer-by-layer sintering of powdered materials. The increased speed and reduced costs provided by the new HP machines mean that now hundreds of individually designed orthoses can be printed in just one day within a single 12-hour assembly process.

The company wanted to ensure that the parts produced in this way would be strong and durable, while also being flexible enough to withstand loads during movement. To test the capabilities of the Multi Jet Fusion printer, the company developed several parts.

They were able to conduct a series of strength and impact load tests, which were successful. But what is particularly impressive about HP's Multi Jet Fusion technology is that the parts produced with it had uniform strength across all three axes of assembly, meaning the orientation of the assembly did not affect the strength and quality of the parts. The 3D printer was used in conjunction with Siemens NX software with topological optimization capabilities, allowing technicians to not only reduce the weight of the structure but also reinforce its key areas.

The technology also allows multiple perfectly fitting parts to be placed in the printer tray at once, thereby reducing the number of print runs, which in turn increases production speed and reduces costs. Parts can be tightly placed up to 2 mm apart and even stacked on top of each other, reaching a maximum height of 380 mm. This means that there is no need to use a supporting structure for creating such complex shapes, as the parts are naturally supported by the powder form of the raw materials in the tray, allowing them to be stacked on top of each other.

To continue testing these technologies, Crispin Orthotics decided to use the HP Multi Jet Fusion printer and Siemens NX software to implement a new orthopedic project. The new technologies allowed the company to develop an orthopedic device for the arm with an integrated attachment at the elbow and a wrist overlay. The only part of the new device, printed on a 3D printer, was made from durable polyamide, making it lighter and stronger.

According to Crispin Orthotics director Mark Textor, 3D scanning and printing technologies have significantly increased the speed of production and the quality of the parts they manufacture for their clients. "Now we have the ability to create lightweight, strong, and incredibly precise personalized orthopedic devices, which is certainly beneficial for the client. The business also benefits from the speed of producing 3D printed parts and reducing costs by about 40% through streamlining the manufacturing process," he says.

Textor also notes that the use of 3D scanning and printing provides greater freedom in the design of devices, especially those with complex geometries: "With the ability to vary the thickness of the device in certain areas, we can create orthopedic devices that cannot be produced by any of the existing methods today."

New technologies, quality 3D design, and printing have the potential to significantly accelerate the production of various medical devices while substantially reducing costs.