3D printing, often known as additive manufacturing, is a method of creating three-dimensional solid objects in the healthcare industry. Additive manufacturing technologies are used to create 3D printed objects. An object is built in an additive technique by laying down successive layers of material until the object is complete. Each of these layers can be viewed as a cross-section of the item that has been lightly cut. It's used in the healthcare industry to make personalized medical equipment and products. Furthermore, 3D printing technology meets the growing demand for personalized medical care by producing bespoke medical devices that are tailored to the individual's needs. In healthcare, 3D printing is used to develop living human cells or tissue in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. 3D printing is also used to create precision and personalized pharmaceuticals. Furthermore, it has various advantages over traditional reconstructive surgeries, including low operating risk during difficult procedures, a reduction in infection susceptibility, and decrease in anaesthetic exposure time.
The availability of bioprinting tissues and organs, as well as an increase in pharmaceutical applications, are potential for market expansion during the projection period. Furthermore, significant R&D investments, quick development of the client base, expansion of biomedical applications, and substantial R&D activities for the advancement of 3D printers at the academic and industrial levels have all propelled market growth. Collaborations between academic institutions, hospitals, and businesses have also aided the market's expansion. Several regulatory groups are working to develop 3D printing in healthcare standards. In December 2017, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an advice titled "Technical Considerations for Additive Manufactured Devices." The guidance emphasizes on technical concerns and recommendations for 3D-printed medical device design, manufacture, and testing.
During this COVID-19 outbreak, market is observing the full utility of 3D printed medical equipments. Doctors and nurse practitioners around the country are dealing with crises and attempting to make the most of the limited tools at their disposal. Many hospitals are concerned that they will be inundated by COVID-19 cases, and they are doing everything they can to help flatten the curve and avoid worst-case scenarios. According to a paper published in Progress in Additive Manufacturing Journal in November 2020 by Guilherme Arthur Longhitano, the additive manufacturing community arose to address the scarcity of medical devices amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients and healthcare professionals are currently using a variety of designs in hospitals. Furthermore, the adoption of 3D printed products such as face shields, face masks, valves, and nasopharyngeal swabs is on the rise, which is boosting market growth.
The greatest benefit of 3D printing is tissue bioprinting, which will increase the options for joint preservation, deformity treatment, and trauma management. In the future, 3D printing should be faster, more cost-effective, and easier to manufacture, even in OT. With better imaging and processing algorithms, surgeon dependency could be decreased, resulting in a product that meets the exact needs of the patients. Moreover, the digitization of dentistry and medical processes has come a long way in recent years, with the goal of enhancing clinical workflow through the use of technology. Traditional dentistry and surgeries are giving way to digital dentistry and operations. Direct digital manufacturing is the method of creating a physical thing from a digital design using computer-controlled procedures. Direct digital manufacturing is becoming a more extensively utilized technology than traditional production techniques, thanks to developments in 3D printing. It has a unique combination of benefits in that it removes the need for tooling, lowers the time between design and manufacturing, and boosts output.
Stratasys Ltd. Is among the leading players in 3D printing medical devices market. The company's 3D printing product portfolio includes a variety of 3D printing systems and consumables to meet the needs of a variety of industries, including automotive, consumer electronics, aerospace, dental, defence, education, commercial products, architectural, and medical. In addition to its 3D printing products, the company also provides services. To maintain its leadership position in the worldwide market, it largely focuses on product innovation and new product launches as its primary business strategy. Additionally, the company used techniques such as collaborations, agreements, and mergers and acquisitions to increase its product line and client base, as well as expand its presence across other countries, in order to assure its future growth.