2018’s Rapid + TCT is set to be one of the most packed tech expo events of the year. The exhibitions will include a whole range of marvellous new innovations in multiple fields. While there are many industries worth looking out for, a lot of this year’s most exciting exhibitions is the Medical Manufacturing Innovations, which will be showcasing exhibits about the medical field featuring all the latest breakthroughs in healthcare technology. The Medical Manufacturing Innovations show organisers have provided a schedule for especially for these events, viewable here.

The event itself will feature a range of workshops and presentations by leading figures within 3D printing circles. Topics range from surgical planning applications, manufacturing serialized implants, printing with biomaterials and bioprinting to primers on all the things one might need to know to implement additive manufacturing into their healthcare facility. It will also feature talks by experts from illustrious organisations such as Mayo Clinic, Johnson & Johnson, the FDA, and multiple universities.

The speakers will dive into cutting edge applications and present new developments. Industry insiders will discuss the impact of new applications such as DLP printing in Middle Ear Prosthesis and new understanding of existing technologies like the effect of build orientation on axial/torsional fatigue life of titanium, among many others.

The show comes at the heels of the stunning growth of additive manufacturing in the medical sector. Most major orthopedic device manufacturers have already adopted additive manufacturing for patient-matched surgical guides or as an effective production method for producing complex surface structures. As of now, there are more than 100 hospitals in the USA that have hospital-based 3D printing centers. 3D printing covers a diverse range of functions in medicine including the production of prosthetics, anatomical models, surgical tools, and implants. The event will bring together all the newest happenings in this exciting field to everyone present.

New developments within the functions within the medical industry are the result of many innovations growing need and interest. Most prominently bio-printing and proliferation of hydrogels the FDA’s release of additive manufacturing technical guidance and the update of standards to better meet the needs of 3D printing. The growth of DLP metals systems, printable sensors for wearable/active devices, and body scanning technologies has also played continued integration of imaging data have played a prominent role.

A major theme within the event is the growth of both patient-matched and serialized medical devices and implants. These new medical tools can now be made to fit precisely to a patient’s anatomy, reducing both operation and recovery time. These include guides to reconstruct bones scaffolds to regenerate tissue and bone, and creating complex device structures not possible with other manufacturing methods.

Over the course of the event, professionals will also discuss the implications of 3D printing technologies in rehabilitation and data collection. It features discussions not just by device manufacturers and technology developers, but also hospitals including the US Veterans Administration Healthcare system.

Some of the main events include:

Pre-Conference workshop: Quality & Regulatory Considerations for 3D Printed Medical Devices

Pre-conference workshop: Metal Part Fabrication Using Additive Manufacturing Technologies.

In-depth metals AM presentations: Metal Additive Manufacturing.

MMI sessions on Implants as well as Biomaterials for Point of Care manufacturers

Pre-conference workshop: 3D Printing in Hospitals: What You need to Know.

In-depth conference sessions on clinical applications and personalized prosthetics.

Keynote Address: Rise of Point-of- care Manufacturing: Impacting More Patients.

A special thanks to MMI for contacting us and providing additional information.