Additive manufacturing, sometimes called 3D printing, is an up and coming technique and has huge potential for use in clinical settings. With the use of additive manufacturing, medical devices can be designed on the basis of patient’s medical scan data and subsequently be printed. This allows medical devices, such as anatomical models, surgical guides and implants, to be custom made for specific patients. These patient specific medical devices help surgeons to better plan and perform surgery, thus improving patient care. Despite of the benefits for the medical sector, there is currently no functioning value chain for medical additive manufacturing in the Netherlands. In this project for the 3D innovation lab we will assess which parties and stakeholders could be involved in value chains for medical additive manufacturing and how the elements of these value chains could be put together. Furthermore, we want to identify the issues that prevent additive manufacturing from being implemented in the medical world.
Kate Backhouse
Jytte van Huijstee
Dorien Verschuren
tesla.3dprinting@gmail.com
