New medical device treats scoliosis; manufacturing news; weekly highlights

I have always been intrigued with 3D printing and its impact on everything from medical implants to jet engines. So, when I read about some projects taking place at NC State’s Center for Additive Manufacturing and Logistics (CAMAL) – in collaboration with GE Additive, General Motors, and Siemens – I had to share (read more here).

As the news about NC States, “What began as an endeavor to explore 3D-printed medical implants has grown into a multidisciplinary hub pushing the boundaries of everything from manufacturing to medicine to plant science.”

© NC State | https://www.camal.ncsu.edu

And in other news….

Digital technology & manufacturing

What is digital transformation’s impact on manufacturing? Close to $642.35 billion by 2025, according to analysis by Adroit Market Research. Technologies such as Industry 4.0, Cloud, mobile and Internet of Things (IoT) are the key enabler of digital transformation (DX) in the manufacturing sector.

The report shares that on the geographical front, North America dominated the global digital transformation with almost 34.4% market share. The global market size for digital transformation in manufacturing was valued at $220.90 billion in 2018 so it’s growth to $642.35 billion by 2025 will be at a compound annual growth rate of 14.3%.

Why?

• Competitive pressure in manufacturing
• High emphasis on reducing cost of operations
• Evolution of Industry 4.0
• Adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) 

Shriners Hospital and scoliosis device gets FDA approval

© Shriners Hospitals for Childre | https://www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/shc

The Tether, a medical device for treating scoliosis, received FDA approval. Providing an alternative that both corrects the curve and maintains flexibility in the spine, the Tether uses methods and techniques developed by medical staff of Shriners Hospitals for Children – Philadelphia. It’s the first commercially available product used specifically for VBT, anterior vertebral body tethering, a surgical procedure for patients with scoliosis who meet very specific criteria.

How it works
Instead of using metal rods, VBT uses a strong, flexible cord to gently pull on the outside of a scoliosis curve to straighten the spine. A screw is placed in each vertebra of the curve and then attached to the flexible cord with the spine in a straighter position. Scoliosis progression is stopped, the spine is realigned and can continue to grow, and flexibility is maintained. As the child grows, it is anticipated that curve progression will be halted and the spine will remain straight.

The Tether straightens the spine using the patient’s growth process. The pressure from the cord slows the growth on the tall side of the vertebra, so that the short side can grow and catch up. This novel technology allows for both correction and continued motion at the levels of the spine treated, unlike fusion surgeries. As an emerging treatment for a small patient population, this system is being made available through the FDA’s humanitarian device exemption (HDE) pathway.

Learn about Tether and more medical advancements from Shriners Hospitals for Children.

And if you’re just jumping on the website this weekend, here are some of the top read articles from last week:

• Solar Atmospheres donates Mentor Furnace to Lehigh University
  
• Exoskeleton guide aims to help assess usefulness, usability (Video)
  
• 25 years in medical device manufacturing
  
• Balluff Configurator Tool simplifies building machine vision system