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The medical sector at the forefront of 3d printing
With a compound annual growth rate of 18.2 percent, the global healthcare 3D printing market is expected to generate $3.69 billion by 2026, according to Allied Market Research. In addition to the fact that 3d printing has strong value in terms of developing medical devices, educational or communication tools, and personalized patient care, COVID-19 showed the true value of on-demand manufacturing for the medical industry when non-healthcare OEMs repurposed their fleets of 3D printers to produce personal protective equipment (PPE) or other devices used to combat the virus.
Barriers to the application of 3d printing in the medical sector
- Regulatory and standardization: must comply with standards and regulations provided by healthcare agencies like the FDA.
- Data requirement and management: it is critical to accurately collect and maintain complete data on how a medical device was manufactured and inspected.
- Repeatable production: in medical device manufacturing, it is essential that all production steps and parameters are determined, monitored and controlled to ensure the quality and consistency of the parts.
1. Data management is the key to accelerate the digital transformation
With Agile ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), all communications, order selections, and production requirements are stored in a single system. You can submit requests, price parts and place orders in seconds instead of days. Comparing internal resources with external capabilities facilitates better production decision making.
- Collect the right data with part requirements: define part requirements during ordering to save hours tracking down information later. Custom forms gather the production data you need.
- Ensure delivery date with status tracking: in the Agile ERP, delivery date, production status, part information and processing stages are all visible in a searchable and sortable interface.
Learn more about Agile ERP
2. Unlock Shop-floor automation
To scale additive manufacturing without headcount increase, the Agile MES (Manufacturing Execution System) automates planning, scheduling and tracking of the production floor.
- Digital tools for agile scheduling: prioritize parts, assign parts to custom AM workflows, reschedule when production changes, generate production sheets.
- Tracking and QA along the full value chain: Digital tracking and documentation are huge advances for AM quality assurance. Machine connectivity, digital signatures and prediction help prepare for full automation.
