The Benefits of 3D Printing

1. reduces necessary inventory for surgeons (printing surgical tools as well as reusable gel)
2. improves clinical outcomes and product performance with higher efficiency (automation of technology)
3. exact organ matches for patients due to customization and personalization
4. has high application versatility
5. lower variable manufacturing costs (cost efficiency)
6. improved product quality and customer satisfaction
7. opportunity to share and precision, where researchers can download .stl files from open-source databases allowing replication of medical devices
8. enhanced productivity (product can be made within several hours)

The Costs of 3D Printing

1. developing a security and device management system
2. patent and copyright concerns
3. safety and security issues (3D printing can be subject to criminal uses and purposes)
4. high maintenance and repair costs
5. limited material
6. required FDA approval for use in healthcare (creates a major barrier to the adoption of 3D printing in the medical industry, as one of the primary benefits to using 3D printing is that you can create a product and have it in your hands after just a few hours of designing/printing)
7. need for 3D printing input data (this has been a continuous issue for many industrial users as there seems to be a lack of softwares designed to implement and create forms that exploit 3D printing; as of now, 3D CAD system softwares are the main source of input data for 3D printing, however, the development of further models and softwares are required to capture all complexities of this technology; simple and easy input is essential to the increase in the industrial adoption of 3D printing)
8. large initial capital investment required

A Medical Report on the Applications of 3D Printing

The future of medicine looks bright according to this report. We truly are living in revolutionary times. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4189697/

Some more 3D printing examples

Check out these examples of 3D printing. http://www.cio.com/article/2864135/3d-printing/3d-printing-medical-breakthroughs-including-dog-legs.html#slide1 Human skin grafts and dog legs. Crazy stuff!

How 3D printing is revolutionizing surgery

It's amazing to see how far we've come with advances in medical technology. http://www.livescience.com/49913-3d-printing-revolutionizing-health-care.html One can only imagine how far we'll be in the next 20 years!

Firms need to grasp the full potential of 3D printing

Some interesting developments for 3D printing in the healthcare and automotive industries. Check it out. http://www.itworldcanada.com/article/idc-canadian-health-care-firms-automakers-should-grasp-3d-printing-opp/101735