3D Printing/ Additive Manufacturing
Article

Printing People Parts

by
SME (Society of Manufacturing Engineers)
April 7, 2023
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Summary

Between prosthetic limbs and customized wheelchair parts, additive manufacturing is changing the biological and medical fields outside of the body. However, the potential of the tech is just now being understood within the body. Learn about how 3D printing can revolutionize hip and joint replacements with tailor-made parts.

It’s a sad fact of life that the older we get, the more our bodies begin to break down. In days past, this might have meant a one-way trip to sea on the nearest ice floe. But, thanks to modern medical technology, humans can look forward to longer, more ache-free lives.

One of the coolest, most advanced enablers of these modern medical technologies? Additive manufacturing (AM), of course.

With AM, physicians can design patient-specific replacement parts for aging hips and knees. They can develop custom orthoses, repair various physical injuries, print 3D-realistic models for training and surgical planning, and produce medical devices that were previously impractical or downright impossible to manufacture. While this results in lower costs and improved patient outcomes, in many cases, 3D printing can also be a life or death differentiator.

Read more here.

SME (Society of Manufacturing Engineers)
SME (Society of Manufacturing Engineers)

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