New Initiative Combines Industrial 3D Printing with Free Medical-Implant Design Software


EOS Direct Metal Laser-Sintering (DMLS™) technology is at the core of an innovative service launched by C&A Tool and WITHIN



Novi, Mich. – In a first-of-its-kind offering in North America, C&A Tool (Churubusco, IN) and WITHIN (New York City) have launched a patient-specific, metal-implant design and manufacturing program called WITHIN Medical. The service combines free downloadable software (www.withinlab.com/medical/register.php) developed by WITHIN, and additive manufacturing (AM) technology via Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) from EOS.



Targeting medical, surgical, and orthopedic designers and manufacturers, the software facilitates the creation of highly customized products that improve osseointegration or bone growth.



"With this program, companies now have the opportunity to explore the benefits that designing for DMLS can bring to their medical products—without investing in their own laser-sintering system," says John Halverson, medical business unit manager at C&A Tool. "Through this technology, they'll be able to discover firsthand how DMLS reduces manufacturing steps, improves product performance and allows them to tailor medical products to individual patient needs."



In traditional medical manufacturing the smooth, rough, and porous surfaces required for successful implantation are accomplished exclusively through secondary finishing—for instance, using machining along with plasma spraying or hand-sintering beads. DMLS eliminates many of these costly, additional processes by creating the necessary mix of surfaces as it builds the part layer-by-layer.



At the same time, the program offers engineers another benefit: the freedom to move beyond the limits of developing implants in predetermined sizes. Instead, they can choose to design patient-matched spinal reconstructions, acetabular cups, tibial trays, and other parts from MRI or CT scan data.



C&A Tool has complemented their extensive in-house machining capability with an investment in six EOS DMLS systems (both EOSINT M 270 and M 280). For orthopedic applications, the systems use biocompatible materials, such as medical-grade titanium (Ti64) cobalt-chrome, and stainless steel alloys.



The new software gives every designer the medium from which to manufacture highly complex geometries, including lightweight yet strong micro-latticed structures. EOS's laser-sintering technology produces these intricate organic geometries as single-piece components.



Protecting proprietary digital models as they are passed between designers, OEMs, service bureaus, and contract manufacturers is also part of the new collaboration at C&A Tool and WITHIN.



"WITHIN Medical design software is free, easy to use and offers a high level of design control," says Kaveh Mahdavi, project manager at WITHIN. "When developing WITHIN Medical, we focused on the end-to-end solution, everything from design to manufacturing to validation. When coupled with additive manufacturing, the quality is superior to any existing products on the market."



Highlights of the initiative that benefit medical manufacturers include

•Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  no upfront investment for the user in either machine equipment or software

•Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  flexible business models (from unlimited builds to per-part builds)

•Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  patient-specific products

•Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  design freedom

•Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  file encryption



C&A Tool will be showcasing sample parts and information for the newly-launched program at the North American Spine Society (NASS) 2013 Annual Meeting (New Orleans, Louisiana, October 9-12, booth # 1520).



For more information about C&A Tool please visit www.catool.com.



For more information about WITHIN please visit www.withinlab.com.



For more information about EOS please visit www.eos.info.

 

For a free download of the design software go to www.withinlab.com/medical/register.php.



About EOS

Founded in 1989, EOS is the global technology and market leader for design-driven, integrated e-Manufacturing solutions for additive manufacturing (AM, or "Industrial 3D Printing"). EOS offers a modular solution portfolio including systems, software, materials and material development as well as services (maintenance, training, specific application consulting and support). As an industrial manufacturing process it allows the fast and flexible production of high-end parts based on 3D CAD data at a repeatable, industry level of quality. As a disruptive technology it paves the way for a paradigm shift in product design and manufacturing. It accelerates product development, offers freedom of design, optimizes part structures, and enables lattice structures as well as functional integration. As such, it creates significant competitive advantages for its customers. For more information please visit www.eos.info.

 

About C&A Tool

Founded in 1969, C&A Tool is a leading international metalworking service provider. The Indiana-based company offers a full range of complementary additive and subtractive manufacturing technologies. It produces finished products for precision medical and surgical applications and high-performance aerospace/defense, transportation, industrial, and other equipment. A premier tool and die maker for decades, C&A has six EOS Direct Metal Laser-Sintering (DMLS) systems and years of experience with additive manufacturing (AM). For additional information please visit www.catool.com.



About WITHIN

WITHIN is an engineering design software and consulting company. Its software and CAD designs constantly push the boundaries of what is possible in the world of additive manufacturing (AM). At the core of its technology lies a powerful optimization engine, which creates variable-density lattice structures and surface skins to exacting specifications. Customers include medical, aerospace and other industries. With global headquarters in London, WITHIN is opening its North America operations in New Lab, a design-driven manufacturing renaissance forming in the Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York (www.newlab.com). To find out more please visit www.withinlab.com.



Contacts:



EOS of North America, Inc.

Electro Optical Systems

Jessica Nehro

Field Marketing Manager

Phone: +1-248-306-0143 x8104

e-mail: jessica.nehro@eos.info



C&A Tool

John Halverson

Medical and Surgical Business Development

Phone: +1-260-693-2167

e-mail: jhalverson@catool.com 



WITHIN

Kaveh Mahdavi

Phone: +011-44-20-7617-7316

e-mail: kaveh@withinlab.com






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