3d printing in china

How does 3D printing help the medical industry?

3D printing plays a great role in many industries. In the medical industry, it plays 4 main functions. According to Allie Nawrat, it can help replace the transplantation of human organs, boost surgical procedures and produce inexpensive surgical tools. Let’s know more how 3D printing can help the medical industry.

3d printing in china
3d printing in china

3D printing, aka additive manufacturing, appeared in the 1980s for the first time. With this technology, the digital blueprint/model of something is taken and then printed in layers to create a fresh version of that thing.

According to many forecasts, the value of 3D printing will touch $3.5bn in 7 years. In 2016, it’s worth $713.3 million. Since technology is making our lives easier, it will surely raise the value of everything that involves the use of technology.

Primarily, 3D printing has 4 uses in the medical industry: printing organs and tissues, making surgical tools, making special surgical models and prosthetics.

Organoids and tissues

Bioprinting is a type of 3D printing in the medical field. Bioprinters make use of a computer-aided pipette for layering living cells. These organoids/constructs may be a good alternative to real organs.

Organovo, a medical lab in the USA, is working on a similar project. In North Carolina, the Wake Forest Institute followed a similar approach and developed a three-dimensional brain organoid.

Surgery preparation assisted by the use of 3D printed models

Another use of this technology is to make customized organ models that surgeons can use to work prior to engaging in complicated surgical procedures. This technique can minimize trauma and make the procedures more efficient.

In Dubai, surgeons have the freedom to use 3D printing. They used 3D models of a patient’s arteries to find out how to work on the blood vessels safely. The procedure was successful.

Surgical instruments

With 3D printers, many sterile surgical tools can be made, such as scalpel handles, hemostats, and forceps, to name a few.

The surgical tools can help surgeons operate on very small areas safely. On top of this, the cost of producing these tools can be a lot lower.

Customized prosthetics

In the medical field, this technology can help make prosthetic limbs that can fit the subject. The conventional method of making these artificial limbs is too low and patients have to wait for months to get their “limbs” made. But 3D printing can boost the process of creating inexpensive products.

As the cost of these prosthetic limbs is very low, kids can benefit from them as they won’t cost as much as the traditional prosthetic limbs.

With 3D printing, patients can design a product that can meet their needs perfectly. For instance, some companies allow their clients to create models by scanning their limbs. This way they can create products that can fit them well.

So, this was an introduction to the use of 3D printing in the medical industry. If you are looking for 3D printers, you can import from abroad. If you are on a budget, you can consider Chinese 3D printing companies. Hopefully, one day, this technology will bring a revolution all over the world and every industry will benefit from it in one way or the other. Let’s hope for the best.

If you are into 3D printing, you can check out 3D printing companies in China. They can answer your questions and guide you further.

Resource box: This article is originally posted in http://www.3dprintingchina.com.

metal 3D printing

THE ADVANTAGES OF METAL 3D PRINTING

3D printing is a technique which uses the CAD design to create an object or part of it. It has gained momentum due to its advantages over traditional metal 3D printing. 3D printing has the capability to put the complex designs into the creation of a unique and unbelievable form which is not possible with machining. The following advantages make 3D printing an attractive option:-

metal 3D printing
metal 3D printing
  1. Speed manufacturing – Complex and unique designs can be carved out from CAD designs which can be printed in a few hours. Designers don’t have to go through multiple steps while manufacturing a product.
  2. Low wastage – Traditional machining generates a huge quantity of scrap while cutting a metal. 3D printing uses CAD model designs to print an object and that is why there is greater efficiency in manufacturing. It uses the technique of Additive manufacturing, which creates an object by putting one layer onto another. At the same time uses only the required metal to put into a layer and that is how wastage is near zero.
  3. Customization – with the use of 3D printing customization of objects has become possible. Its use in the healthcare sector has risen in the manufacturing of prosthetic legs and customized dental set. It allows the designer to design products according to the specific needs of people. It is also giving services to athletes for their demands of specific sports accessories to improve their performance. Customized rings, helmets, mobile case, etc. have become possible only because of 3D printing.
  4. Use of complex designs – Earlier objects with complex designs were not possible due to challenges like drilling complex holes, inaccessibility of designing tools etc. But 3D printing has made that possible with CAD models which only needs to be uploaded and then printing an object according to the design.
  5. Simplified manufacturing process- Eliminating many traditional steps of manufacturing like machining, welding, sanding, coating, finishing and polishing an object 3D printing uses a single manufacturing step to create an object. As said above, a CAD design is uploaded into a machine and a single press of button prints metal object within few hours. It has simplified the process of manufacturing.
  6. Cost reduction- Reduction in manufacturing steps automatically brings down labor cost and reduces wastage lowers the cost incurred in raw materials. That is why many manufacturers are opting for 3D printing satisfyingly. Speed and accuracy further save time decreasing delay in manufacturing and improving overall profit of the customer.
  7. Risk mitigation – Designers have to approve the prototype before moving further into full-on manufacturing of the product. In traditional machining, ordering a faulty prototype delays the work. 3D printing allows the designer to verify the design by printing the prototype and then investing in high-cost manufacturing machines. Certainly, it averts upcoming risks and saves time.
  8. Design freedom- 3D printing has allowed designers to design products according to their choices which were earlier restricted due to the traditional manufacturing process. It uses a layering technique to create object making giving designer full freedom to design complex prints.

Original source is from http://www.3dprintingchina.com, which is one of leading 3D printing companies in China provide service via SLA, SLS and other techniques. Contact KLARM Precision Prototypes for more details.