MEDICAL
WWW.MADEIN.IE « JANUARY 2021 « 25
between a patient’s life-changing
surgery and them receiving their device
can be painstakingly slow.
“If a patient undergoes a serious
accident, one that destroys areas such
as the skull or spine beyond repair,
they simply do not have time to spare
to ensure their reconstructive devices
fit correctly. Instead, they’re given
solutions that work, but aren’t tailored
to their bodies,” Kissel explained.
“Long waiting times and a lack of
customisation can really impact how a
patient feels after they’ve undergone a
life-changing event or procedure.
Even in 2020, there are still
prosthetic patients using
devices that do not
move, or are simply
just hooks.”
“Using computer
tomography, it is now
possible to optimise
designs that simply
cannot be produced
using other
manufacturing methods.
What’s more, we can make our
designs lighter, with less material waste
and in shorter lead times. Patients
could receive a perfectly matching
device, in less time and using a
high-performing, lightweight material.”
In summer 2020, Sandvik’s specialist
powder plant was awarded the ISO
13485:2016 medical certification for its
Osprey® titanium powders, positioning
its highly automated production
process at the forefront of medical
device development. As AM disrupts
many areas of manufacturing, it’s clear
that its potential in the medical sector
will be life changing.
Sandvik is also part of one of the
most ground-breaking research
projects within the medical segment to
date, contributing with its extensive
material expertise. The Swiss M4M
Center in Switzerland is a publicprivate
partnership initiated by the
Swiss government, aiming to evolve
medical 3D printing to a level where
patient-specific, innovative implants
can be developed and manufactured
quickly and cost-effectively.
“The Swiss M4M Center is intended
to build up and certify a complete
end-to-end production line for medical
applications, like implants. Being able
to facilitate this initiative through the
unique material knowledge that is
found within Sandvik is an empowering
experience. Joining forces with an array
of experts to reinvent the future of
medical devices as well as the lives of
thousands of people — is an experience
out of the ordinary.”
Cold Spraying
In another development in this area, a
team of researchers from MIT, Cornell
University, and others have also
explored a new method of 3D printing
with Ti64 powder.
eliminates these flaws because it uses
medical imaging to create a customised
implant, shaped exactly according to
the individual’s anatomical data. This
means that the patient can be fitted
with an exact match to replace the lost
or damaged area of the skull.
In Sandviken, Sweden, lies one of the
world’s most cutting-edge titanium
powder plants. At the plant, Sandvik’s
experts are unlocking the potential of
3D printed titanium devices for the
medical industry. “Titanium, 3D
printing and the medical sector are the
perfect match,” explains Harald
Kissel, R&D Manager at
Sandvik Additive
Manufacturing.
“Titanium has
excellent properties
and is one of few
metals accepted by the
human body, while 3D
printing can rapidly
deliver bespoke results
for an industry where
acting quickly could be the
difference between life and
death.”
In addition to titanium’s material
benefits, AM can help overcome some
of the challenges when producing
medical implants and prosthetics.
Typically, the process of being fit for a
prosthesis involves several visits to
create a device that fits a patient and
their needs. As a result, the time
AM can help
overcome some of
the challenges when
producing medical
implants and
prosthetics.
Harald Kissel, R&D manager at
Sandvik Additive Manufacturing
/WWW.MADEIN.IE