Stratasys PolyJet-based 3D printed mould tools.
Stratasys has today announced its collaboration with design and product development company, Worrell, to accelerate the development of 3D printed medical devices.
The company has been producing injection moulded medical prototypes using final production materials at 70% less cost and 95% less time when compared with traditional moulds.
To raise the profile of this technology and the significant savings in cost and product development cycles, Stratasys and Worrell will join forces to educate the medical industry on the innovative process and its radical impact on manufacturing.
"We have recognized a significant under-utilization of the 3D printed injection moulding process in medical device development and we're working with Worrell to help fill this gap," says Nadav Sella, Senior Manager of Manufacturing Tools at Stratasys. "In an industry where products have the potential to save lives, we want to use this collaboration to demonstrate how medical device manufacturers can bring their products to market significantly faster than ever before."
Traditional manufacturing can prove both costly and time-consuming as new moulds must be created for each prototype before manufacturing. To reduce potential iteration risks and tooling costs, Worrell uses Stratasys PolyJet-based 3D printers to create injection moulding tools and then inject the same materials that will be used in a finished medical device.
"Using 3D printed injection moulds, we are able to create a prototype for a fraction of the cost and in a matter of days compared to the eight-week lead time associated with traditional tooling processes,” explains Kai Worrell, CEO at Worrell. “This revolutionary manufacturing process enabled by Stratasys PolyJet technology is now an integral part of our product development cycle, allowing us to provide better prototypes for care providers, while saving our clients considerable time and money."
