At this year's TCT Conference @ Formnext, delegates can expect to hear insights from end-users, analysts and researchers on the latest additive manufacturing and 3D printing applications and developments.
Across four days, experts from PepsiCo, Boeing, Jack Wolfskin, Honda, and more will deliver educational keynotes and panels that explore the impact of AM technologies across multiple sectors and industry challenges. On day four, Vishwanath Nayak [VN], Principal Engineer at GE Healthcare, will discuss the implementation of metal additive manufacturing into the production in Medical devices.
Ahead of the conference, which will take place in-person on 15-18th November at Messe Frankfurt, Nayak spoke to TCT about what we can expect from his presentation, the importance of materials evaluation for medical device development, and the big opportunities for AM in the healthcare sector moving forward.
Check out a snippet of the interview below and catch Nayak's talk on Fri 18, Nov 10:00 am-10:30 am. Get your ticket here.
TCT: What can you tell us about your presentation at Formnext?
VN: I am presenting one of the unique case studies of Metal Additive (DMLM) part/assembly, that we pioneered at GE Healthcare into production in medical device on a CT scanner. I am also going to talk on how the business case could be made despite several challenges today, and I will also touch base on how we established process of powder re-use strategies, with different types of machines, powder sources and parameters.
TCT: Can you elaborate on the importance of materials evaluation for medical device development
VN: Material evaluation needs to be very carefully done with several established processes that we have developed in some areas with rigorous amount of testing over years to understand its behaviours over a period of time, for its sustainability and to check effect, degradation, etc. Challenges associated with each of Medical device are very unique to the type of device and its function, like some have Autoclave requirements, cleaning and disinfection needs, MDR compliance, FDR compliance, IFR V0 flammability needs, and many other regulatory requirements.
TCT: Who should come see this talk?
VN: Additive machine manufacturers – metal and polymer; technology solution providers; consultants; academics & researchers; business collaborators and enablers. We are looking at developing and partnering with the ecosystem to continue and carry forward our additive journey in a larger scale.
TCT: Relating to the technology and/or culture, what is one thing you’d change about additive manufacturing?
VN: What we have learned so far since many years on adopting additive technology into production in GE Healthcare is that we need cultural shift in the mindset of people to adopt this technology to product.
Machines will not solve or enable technology to produce, technology needs to be adopted with bottoms up approach.
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Exhibit at the UK's definitive and most influential 3D printing and additive manufacturing event, TCT 3Sixty.
As this technology is adopted in mass scale in many segments, we never look back at conventional ways of design, as AM gives us enormous amount of benefit to our product and business.
Only additive machines by itself doesn’t make business case, but ideas that enables to cater the needs does.
TCT: What is the biggest opportunity for AM in your sector moving forward?
VN: On Metal Additive side, we are looking at WAAM and customised need to meet our needs. On polymers, we are looking at hybrid metal-polymer blending with different material combinations and unique properties. We are also exploring large scale polymer robotic printing, composite printing, while powders that meet IFR V0 flammability are also of interest.
We are eager to meet different technologies and we are looking for a long term collaboration and eco-system to carry forward.
