AM advances the development, design, and manufacturing of medical devices

According to Data Bridge Market Research, additive manufacturing (AM) in the healthcare industry is projected to grow at a rate of 21.5% between 2021 and 2028. It’s emerging as a powerful technology that enables the creation of complex structures through precise layer-by-layer deposition of materials.

What is direct-write printing technology?

An AM technology, direct-write technology, also known as direct-ink writing or 3D microdispensing, dispenses functional inks and pastes onto various substrates without needing traditional masks or photolithography, significantly expanding the types of printable materials. Direct-write 3D printing (3DP) also microdispenses functional inks or pastes into the AM design, embedding the print with the functionality that AM parts lack. For example, wires can be printed directly into the design or materials, thus allowing the production of more versatile sensors, monitors, and therapeutic devices. During the direct-write process, a micro-dispenser moves over a substrate to precisely deposit and embed the required amount of ink or high-viscosity paste into the AM design realizing complex shapes in layers.

Direct-write 3DP offers next-generation solutions for age-old obstacles while presenting new opportunities for healthcare. The current growth of AM in medical device manufacturing is directly related to its benefits for medical device research and development (R&D).

Using this technology is an efficient way to bring innovations in wearables, casts, implants, and more.

Traditional manufacturing and its limitations

Medical devices traditionally have been manufactured via a series of methods, depending on the materials, complexity, and scale of production.

Some manufacturing methods – including machining, molding, and casting – allow manufacturing of highly complex shapes and high-precision components. Molding and casting are best used for devices that must meet certain criteria, such as braces and casts, and are typically made in large-scale manufacturing environments.

Many of these methods require expensive tooling, such as molds or dies, which can be a barrier to entry for small-scale production and rapid prototyping. Additionally, significant material waste can further increase manufacturing costs while negatively impacting the environment.

Design complexity also poses issues for traditional manufacturing methods; not all of them result in complex geometries and can require multiple components or assembly steps to achieve the desired outcome, slowing production, and limiting medical device operations.

Additionally, not every traditional manufacturing method is suited for mass production, so balancing scalability with production costs can be challenging. Flexibilities in scalability can lead to inconsistent quality across components, particularly when producing intricate or delicate parts, given that different production methods don’t perform equally, and neither do materials.

These limitations have led to the emergence of new manufacturing technologies, such as AM. These technologies, and embedded functional materials with direct-write microdispensing, offer solutions to some of these challenges.

3D printing advancing the field

Developing medical devices using 3DP with direct-write can foster personalized treatments, reduce costs, and accelerate the pace of innovation.

Complex designs, such as implants and prosthetics, may be customized to a patient’s body structure and specific conditions via direct-write printing, resulting in more precise fits, increased comfort, and improved patient outcomes.

Further, 3DP complex structures with custom direct-write design elements can lead to the development of more advanced medical devices, such as customized scaffolds for tissue engineering or intricate stents.

Additionally, lower manufacturing costs will result in less expensive medical devices, making healthcare more accessible. Affordable, custom medical devices provide more options for patients and improve the success rate of treatment.

Rapid medical device prototyping brings a new level of adaptability to the healthcare industry. Swift prototype design, fabrication, and testing shorten development cycles and reduce time to market, enabling cutting-edge innovations to be available faster. On-demand printing furthers this process by reducing the need for large inventories and streamlining supply chains – advantageous in remote or underserved areas. It can also promote scalability for small-scale research.

3D printing medical device electronics

3DP and direct-write technology enable the creation of implantable and embedded electronics into medical devices, which has already led to groundbreaking advancements and new applications.

Sensors and electronic components may be integrated directly into wearable medical devices, such as glucose monitors and electrocardiogram (ECG) patches, which have the potential to improve patient monitoring and facilitate early intervention.

3D-printed electronics include implantable devices, such as neural interfaces and cardiac pacemakers, which provide real-time data and feedback to improve patient management and treatment outcomes.

Customized prosthetics, orthotics, and implants improve patient comfort and functionality. Patient-specific medical devices adhere to surrounding tissues by depositing living cells and biomaterials, decreasing the likelihood of rejection. Consequently, this opens new doors for developing revolutionary regenerative medicine and transplantation, further enhancing treatment outcomes and shortening recovery times.

Direct-write technology has also created microfluidic devices for medical diagnostics, drug delivery, and biosensors monitoring chemical reactions in the body. These devices can monitor glucose, the direction of biomarkers, drug levels, and more, allowing for point-of-care diagnostics, sample preparation, or cell cultures. Additionally, they can be applied in treatments for neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, or paralysis.

Continued innovations in 3D bioprinting have opened new possibilities for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Researchers are developing functional organs and tissues that can be transplanted into patients, potentially reducing the need for donor organs.

By continuing to embrace direct-write technology and 3DP, researchers within healthcare can improve treatment options for all.

Benefits of direct-write

With high-precision design freedom unachievable via traditional manufacturing methods, better, more tailored medical devices can be developed for patient treatment.

This wastes less material and opens opportunities to print more complex, intricate, multi-functional devices with sensing, actuating, or other capabilities.

For example, detail and scale are especially important when printing microfluidic devices or biosensors. These intricate features can be printed with higher precision using upgraded CAD processing systems and high-resolution direct-write technology.

The future

The adoption of 3DP and direct-write 3DP technologies is expected to further transform medical device development, design, and manufacturing. Advancements in bioprinting, integration of advanced sensors, and new materials will result in more sophisticated, effective medical devices.

The integration of direct-write technology with robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) can result in new, advanced devices operating autonomously or semi-autonomously. These may include surgical instruments performing complex procedures with greater precision and accuracy or wearable devices monitoring a patient’s vital signs and administering treatments in real-time based on AI-driven insights.

Direct-write technology can help create sophisticated telemedicine devices, such as remote monitoring systems and portable diagnostic tools, which can be used in providing healthcare services to patients in remote or underserved areas, ultimately reducing healthcare disparities. Direct-write technology can also advance drug delivery systems, such as microneedles and implantable drug reservoirs, offering more precise drug release profiles and enabling targeted and controlled medication administration.

These applications enhance the potential of direct-write technology, revolutionizing the medical device industry and fostering development of innovative, personalized, less invasive solutions. However, the realization of these advancements will require ongoing research and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Conclusions

To date, 3DP and direct-write 3DP have significantly impacted medical device development, design, and manufacturing. The technologies have enabled the development of customized, patient-specific devices that provide better fit, functionality, and patient satisfaction. Despite some challenges and limitations, these technologies hold great promise for the future of medical device innovation and patient care.

About the authors: Ramsey Stevens is CEO of nano3Dprint, a next-generation additive manufacturing solutions provider, and founder of Carbon Design Innovations (CDI). He is a researcher and leader in the development and use of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). He can be reached at info@nano3dprint.com.

Dr. Fabrizio Billi is the director of the Musculoskeletal Devices and Technologies Development Group. A biomaterials and biomechanics engineer, Billi’s research is focused on wearable technologies, bone biology, smart materials, and biomechanics. He can be reached at f.billi@ucla.edu.

Nano3Dprint: https://nano3dprint.com