Materials & Manufacturing

New 3D Printing Method Promises New Era for Medical Implants

For the millions of people every year who have or need medical devices implanted, a new advancement in 3D printing technology developed at the University of Florida promises...

Disposables

The potential for environmental stress cracking is a common concern when plastics are used in medical devices. According to materials expert Jeffrey Jansen of The Madison Group, environmental stress cracking (ESC) is considered a...

New Chemical Method Could Revolutionize Graphene

Scientists have discovered a new chemical method that enables graphene to be incorporated into a wide range of applications while maintaining its ultrafast electronics. Graphene, a...

Bringing Bioprinting to Life

A team from Northwestern University created bioprosthetic ovaries that ultimately led to the restoration of hormone production and fertility in mice.

3D Printable Implants May Ease Damaged Knees

A cartilage-mimicking material created by researchers at Duke University may one day allow surgeons to 3D print replacement knee parts that are custom-shaped to each patient's anatomy.

Flexible Glass Opens Door for Tiny Medical Devices

Brigham Young University researchers have developed glass technology that could add a new level of flexibility to the microscopic world of medical devices.

Reinforced Silicone Tube Options for Kink, Wear, or Burst Resistance

Its biocompatibility, flexibility, and durability have made extruded silicone the top choice for tubing in many medical devices. Of course, designing devices that will be...

Black Silicon Prevents Eye Implant from Gumming Up

A team of researchers led by Caltech's Hyuck Choo has developed an eye implant for glaucoma patients that could one day lead to more timely and effective treatment.

Orthopedic Implant Could Provide Superior Support to Damaged Bones

Purdue University researchers are developing a nontoxic, biodegradable orthopedic implant that could be safely absorbed by the body after providing adequate support to damaged...

INSIDE STORY: Zeus Industrial Products, Inc.

To find out more about how the use of LCP monofilament in catheter braiding is expected to support the development of advanced surgical procedures — in cardiology and beyond — MDB recently spoke with Zeus researchers Bruce Anneaux, PhD, corporate director of research and development, and Zahidul Wahab, PhD, senior research engineer.

3D Printing Breakthrough Could Alter the Design of Lasers

Scientists have demonstrated the synthesis of transparent glass through 3D printing, a development that could ultimately lead to altering the design and structure of lasers and other...

New Nanofabrication Method Combines Speed and Precision

Combining speed with incredible precision, a team of researchers has developed a way to print a nanoscale imaging probe onto the tip of a glass fiber as thin as a human hair,...

Fabricating Devices in the Fourth Dimension

Scientists use the term 4D printing to refer to the simple production of objects that can transform their shape at different times. Researchers have now taken this approach a major step further by...

New Material Regrows Bone

A team of researchers repaired a hole in a mouse’s skull by regrowing “quality bone,” a breakthrough that could drastically improve the care of people who suffer severe trauma to the skull or face. The work...

Top 10 Tips for Developing Implantable Medical Textiles

Medical device engineers are increasingly gravitating toward biomedical textiles to aid in implant performance, including cardiovascular applications such as structural heart implants or...

Complex Nanoparticle Crystal Could Deliver Therapeutics

The most complex crystal designed and built from nanoparticles has been reported by researchers at Northwestern University and the University of Michigan. The work demonstrates that some...

Portable Nanofiber Device Offers Precise Control for Fabricating 3D Tissue

There are many ways to make nanofibers. These versatile materials — whose target applications include everything from tissue engineering to bulletproof vests — have...

On-Demand Injection Molding: 3D Printed Assistive Devices for the Blind

Helping blind people gain a sense of vision — and doing so through their tongues — sounds like pure science fiction. It's now a reality, however, thanks to the...

Moldable Scaffold Shows Promise for Replacing Lost Skull Bone

A team of researchers is developing a new material that can be used to replace skull bone lost to injury, surgery, or birth defect. The bioactive foam is malleable when exposed...

3D-Printed Patch Can Help Mend a ‘Broken’ Heart

A team of biomedical engineering researchers has created a revolutionary 3D-bioprinted patch that can help heal scarred heart tissue after a heart attack. The discovery is a major step...

Silicone Maker CEO Expresses Concern Over 'Abandonment' of Free Trade

“Free trade is being abandoned, which is very worrying, said Rudolf Staudigl, CEO of silicone giant Wacker Chemical. Staudigl made the assertion at the silicone giant’s...

The 3D Printing Landscape: Then and Now

Frequently used as a design validation and prototyping tool in its early days, the 3D printer now supports a much wider range of applications, from shape-conforming electronics to the creation of printed...

Implantable Fibers Could Treat Spinal Cord Injuries

Researchers have developed a rubber-like fiber that can flex and stretch while simultaneously delivering both optical impulses, for optoelectronic stimulation, and electrical connections, for...

Adhesives with Additives: Dressings Designed to Deliver Added Value

Multipurpose functionality has become an expectation in the modern lifestyle. A washing machine is no longer just a washing machine but rather a computerized appliance that can...

Additive Manufacturing Revolutionizes Medical Device Production

For years, the medical device industry has been leading the adoption of additive manufacturing. With the evolution of high-precision printers that span a large offering of...

Plastic Welding Technologies for Medical Device Design and Assembly

The structures of most medical devices are far too complex to mold as a single piece. Therefore, it is necessary to assemble their components into a finished product. While...

Living Polymerization Enables Adaptable 3D Printing

Three-dimensional printing technology makes it possible to rapidly manufacture objects by depositing layer upon layer of polymers in a precisely determined pattern. Once these objects are...

Industry 4.0: Virtual Twin Controls Production

Efficient production control is a key industrial technology. The notion of building up two parallel factories instead of one may sound like nothing but doubling of effort. But what if one of the...

Engineers Create Artificial Skin That ‘Feels’ Temperature Changes

A team of engineers and scientists have developed an artificial skin capable of detecting temperature changes using a mechanism similar to the one used by the organ that...