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3D printing products could soon revolutionize medicine
A recently published English study concluded that the market for medical 3D printing products will grow by 17.7% annually until 2026. Orthopedics is expected to account for the largest portion of this growth, with annual sales of $643.5 million (up from $105 million in 2015) expected by 2026, at a CAGR of 19.9%.
Reason enough for us to take a closer look at the developments in this exciting and potentially important market for all of us.
In the past we had already reported on individual trends in medical 3D printing, especially braces and dentures bioprint-Production. Today we want to use this study to shed light on the developments that 3D printing in medicine could take over the next 10 years.
3D printing technologies and materials
Selective laser sintering (SLS printing), which is also very popular with our customers, is currently the most common process in medical 3D printing. For the year 2026, the study in bioprinting with this technology expects a turnover of 230 million €, with an annual growth rate of 15.3%. However, the most important process in medical 3D printing could be PolyJet printing in 2026, which is suspected due to the increasing demand and a broader range of applications with this technology.
The most important material in the bioprint will remain plastic in its many variants.
Pioneer: Orthopaedics
Especially with regard to factors such as the aging population and the associated higher accident rates, but also a general increase in health awareness, this growth is strengthened, which, as already explained above, is estimated at 19.9% annually. Hospitals play the leading role, followed by outpatient surgical and diagnostic centers.
Medical 3D printing in Australia
In Australia, which is one of the up-and-coming countries in the field of bioprinting, a special institute for the research and production of tissue, bones and organs using 3D printing is currently under construction. Based in Herston, Queensland Biofabrication Institute is based on a cooperation between Metro North Hospital and Health Service and Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and is scheduled to open in 2017, as reported by the Brisbane Times in November 2016.
This institute, in which about 50 to 60 researchers and other clinics are to work together in the future, wants to become a market leader in medical innovation and technology which, according to Health Minister Cameron Dick, is changing the face of the health care system.
All the printing processes and materials relevant to 3D printing in medicine can be found on our website, as well as lots of other information about 3D printing applications.
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