Medtronic states they won’t be using additive manufacturing to create personalized medical devices any time soon – are they missing out on an opportunity, or do they realize that the opportunity is overstated?
“Align Technology disrupted the orthodontic industry by creating a digital approach to straightening teeth that makes treatment possible for more people than ever. None of what we have been able to achieve would be possible without 3D printing technology”
– Srini Kaza, vice president, product innovation, Align Technology (1)
Medical device manufacturers such as Medtronic are uniquely positioned to benefit from advances in additive manufacturing – both for prototyping as well as the product attributes possible with this technique. Medtronic must continue to invest aggressively in this technology in order to stay ahead of competition.
Riding new waves of additive manufacturing and personalization in medicine, Stryker could be poised to offer custom orthopedic implants such as hip replacements and spinal disks. Stryker, a Fortune 500 Michigan-based medical device manufacturer that specializes in orthopedic devices, is increasingly investing in additive manufacturing, signaling a long-term bet on 3D printing as a key to innovation in orthopedic implants.
How robotic surgical instruments improve operative supply chains and threaten medical device manufacturers.
3D printing or “additive manufacturing” is positioned to revolutionize the face of medical device manufacturing and could be a great opportunity or a significant disruptive threat, depending on how they respond.
Digitalization and big-data transformations across all channels of delivering healthcare are revolutionizing the medical industry. But, are medical suppliers immune to this change?
Johnson & Johnson has committed to become the best supply chain in the world. Will digitalization and IoT help them achieve this challenging objective?
“Imagine you walk into a room, and the room is dynamic. With your permission, you are interacting with things going on in the room”. – Eric Schmidt, Google chairman, on IoT[0]
Medtronic uses IoT technology to mature its product line and elevate its position in patient care.
