It’s more than just print and implant

My October 2013 editorial talked about my introduction to 3D printing. I wrote about my trip to visit Stratasys in 1995. The company had only been around six years and this technology was new. Here’s a short excerpt from that editorial:

“From the time I entered this sector, my editorial responsibilities were always geared toward covering new technology, medical manufacturing, and software. So, in 1995, I headed off on my first business trip and it happened to be up in Minnesota to visit Stratasys. A group of editors was invited to learn about a new technology hitting the scene. I mean, there was all this 3D printing chatter going on, so of course I wanted to see it up close to understand how it was going to influence the industry.

“The technology sure wowed me then, but where it has evolved in 2013 is enough to amaze anyone – even those not involved in the medical manufacturing sector.

“It all started as a technology that would allow design engineers to hold a prototype in their hands. They could see the intricate details they had designed, see what was working, where improvements could be made, and how it would affect the final product. Most important was that the cost to print an updated prototype, as design iterations came around, was minimal – and the ability to help improve a design before going into production was monumental in getting to market with just the right product.”

Now it’s 2024 and 3D printing’s explosive growth hasn’t stopped.

Just one year after I wrote about the technology, the world’s first customized, 3D-printed titanium sternum produced using CT scans was implanted in a Spanish cancer patient in 2014 – produced by Australian company Anatomics. Back then, converting data into a digital 3D model took days to weeks, but today that’s accomplished in a day or less.

Yet, with all the advancements of 3D printing, there’s one area that can’t be overlooked: the post-processing of the device. The feature story on pg. 26 goes into detail about this, discussing its importance.

“Post-processing is an important step in 3D printing, as it affects the function and appearance of the printed parts. Different post processing methods suit different types of parts, depending on their shape, size, material, and surface requirements. Therefore, before choosing a post-processing method, one should consider the following factors:

• The function and aesthetic needs of the part
• The compatibility of the post- processing method with the existing manufacturing systems
• The scalability of the post-processing method with the production volume and part diversity
• The surface characteristics of the part, both exterior and interior, and how they vary with the printer technology and build parameters”

While 3D printing’s use in the medical field will continue to grow, making sure correct, appropriate post-processing technology is used will ensure final product success.