Search
PrintPDFContact

Success Story "DePuy Spine"

DePuy Spine, Inc. is an operating company of DePuy, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company, one of the world's leading designers, manufacturers, and suppliers of orthopaedic devices and supplies. They are known throughout the medical world for the development, manufacture, and marketing of innovative solutions of a wide range of spinal pathologies. DePuy Spine is headquartered in Raynham, Massachusetts. The International Office is based in Leeds, England.

Prototype of an Expedium SFX Cross Connector measuring device (courtesy of DePuy).

Challenge

Layer manufacturing technologies increasingly play a role in this industry due to different factors: The implant industry more and more requires individual solutions; the market is driven by flexibility, cost and quality – requirements that layer manufacturing technologies can fulfil.

 

Solution

Peter Ostiguy from DePuy Spine gave an impressive presentation on the use of the Direct Metal Laser-Sintering (DMLS) technology. The company is relying on the technology since just February 2007 and has already produced more than 1,200 parts. So far these parts are mainly used for evaluation purposes and sales samples. “Furthermore, we see a large potential in the surgical arena”, foresees Ostiguy, the company’s Staff Team Leader. He continues: “The DMLS technology spawns a new foundation on how we design our components. In the past we designed for manufacturability. Now, with laser-sintering, we can design for functionality.” Using DMLS, DePuy has reduced lead times in some projects by up to 50 per cent, even if product iterations became necessary. DePuy also predicts a wider use of DMLS manufactured instruments to be used in operating theatres once the new, hardenable  material EOS StainlessSteel PH1 is commercially launched. The material fulfils the ASTM E8 specifications as built and complements the existing material EOS Stainless Steel 17-4. It is currently being tested at pilot customer sites.