3D Printing Industry.com recently published an in-depth and comprehensive report for the medical and healthcare sectors that considers the applications and opportunities of 3D printing technologies within these industries.
Today 3DPI.TV has a unique opportunity to talk to the main author of the report, Dr Phil Reeves, from leading consultancy and research firm Econolyst.
Dr Reeves has more than 20 years of experience in the additive manufacturing and 3D printing industry and has conducted research and consultancy projects for global multinationals and governments.
All of his insight and research skills were brought to bear on the 3DPI Medical report.
Q1: Dr Reeves, what does this 3D printing report cover?
Dr Reeves: The report considers the current and future scale of the opportunity for 3d printing in the healthcare and medical sector. It consider the technologies and materials, the scale of investment both now, and monetary investment moving forward . The report scans and spans the whole medical domain in which 3d printing is currently used. We look at medical devices and implants, hearing aids, orthopedic implants, prosthetic limbs and corrective insoles. So we cover a very broad range of medical applications and look at the scale of these applications.
Q2: …and what, in your opinion, are the most interesting opportunities for 3D printing developments within the medical and healthcare sectors.
Dr Reeves: I think at the moment the most interesting short term developments are centered around data – digital scanning. Taking patient’s specific data whether that’s CT Data, MRI, ultrasound or even laser scanning of patients, and then using that for personalized medical devices or personalized implants. Looking into the long term, I think the opportunities are more around active medical devices, so things like drug eluting stents and the ability to embed function into some the three dimensional parts that we print.
Q3: Who do you think would benefit most from this report?
Dr Reeves: The report benefits a wide cross section of readers from researchers and academics, that have an interest in understanding the current state of the art with 3d printing in the medical sector, through to clinicians or medical device engineers working in manufacturing companies. I think also the report is of interest to the investment community, they want to understand the scale of value of 3d printing in the medical sector both today and moving forward over the next five to ten years.
Thank you for talking to us today Phil, we look forward to seeing you feature here soon again.
To get your own copy of the 3D Printing Industry report for the medical and healthcare sectors, please visit 3dprintingindustry.com/reports
