Additive Manufacturing for Medical Devices 3D Printing of Stereotactic Platforms for Neurosurgery

FHC | Success Story

Stereotactic Platforms for Neurosurgery

Benefits with 3D Printing

  • Customized design fosters patient well-being

  • Highest-quality production to strict standards required for medical applications

  • Less material due to faster manufacturing turnaround times

"We anticipate even greater product improvement opportunities from the switch to laser sintering as we go forward. Having the flexibility of a technology that can create patient-specific solutions rather than one-size-fits-all can result in both hospital economies and better patient outcomes."

Fred Haer | FHC CEO and STarFix President

Additive Manufacturing of Customized Surgical Tools Achieved High Precision

FHC—a worldwide leader in innovative neuroscience products for more than 40 years—collaborated with a leading neurosurgeon to transform traditional stereotaxy using a 3D-modelling process based on each patient’s anatomical coordinates.

The first application of this new STarFix technology is the award-winning, patient-matched, frameless microTargeting™ Platform, which offers greater patient comfort, increased accuracy and time savings in the operating room (OR).

Using the SLS 3D Printer FORMIGA P 100 to laser sinter the Platform, FHC achieves precision results at reduced costs within record delivery times. Following the parameters of an intelligent, independent solid model provided by the planning software, the fixture is “grown” inside the FORMIGA P 100 in only a matter of hours using PA 2201 polyamide powder. Parts consolidation enabled by laser sintering has allowed FHC to fine-tune the STarFix design, reducing assembly time in the OR. 

"The trend in medical devices is to create customized products. EOS technology provides us with patient-specific product manufacturing while enabling us to control costs as we speed delivery to our surgical customers."

Ron Franklin | Chief Technology Officer | STarFix

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