The 3D printing and additive manufacturing solutions provider Stratasys has partnered with design and product development company Worrell to expand medical device development through the deployment of 3D printed injection molding (3D IM).
According to Stratasys, medical device manufacturers have two main obstacles to get medical devices to market, tooling costs and the FDA regulatory process.
In order to decrease iteration risks and tooling costs, Worrel will use Stratasys PolyJet-based 3D printers to create injection molding tools and the same materials will be used in a finished medical device, creating higher-fidelity prototypes.
Stratasys manufacturing tools senior manager Nadav Sella said: "We have recognized a significant under-utilization of the 3D printed injection molding process in medical device development and we’re working with Worrell to help fill this gap."
The company is producing injection molded prototypes using final production materials in less time and at reduced cost compared with traditional aluminium molds, said Stratasys.
Worrell CEO Kai Worrell said: "We were recently approached by medical device start-up, MedTG, to design and engineer a dual-flow needleless blood collection system that reduced the need for multiple injections, thereby increasing patient comfort and hospital efficiency."
Both the companies will attend international tradeshows and host a series of workshops, in a bid to promote the significant cost savings of 3D printed injection molds for medical device manufacturers, as well as reductions in product development cycles.
Image: 3D printed injection molds can efficiently produce medical device prototypes in the final material, in this case, Polycarbonate. Photo: courtesy of PR Newswire/Stratasys Ltd.