In MD+DI’s “Point of Pivot: 3D Printing vs. Injection Molding,” the author says even the terminology is changing as the technologies become more mainstream. 3D printing is being replaced with additive manufacturing to better reflect its processes. The article addresses how to know when either method is the best choice to meet the patients’ needs, and even offers a checklist.
Some of the pros and cons the author addresses are that injection molding brings scale, speed, and uniformity, but comes with expensive set up. Growing validation and materials testing of 3D-printed parts has been moving its technology forward, but it doesn’t have a lot of products to choose from, and “risk-averse sectors,” which may apply to O&P, need to be confident in the return on investment before committing.
To read the article, visit MD+DI.