Study about Innovative 3D Printing Applications for Surgical Planning
One of the first results of the project NE2020, a study about Innovative 3D Printing Applications for Surgical Planning, has been published. In the scope of this project, NORTEXCEL contacted important players of the value chain of the medical technologies in the North of Portugal. They identified the need to conduct prospective studies on the trends in medical technologies at regional level, taking into account the existing industry and resources.
Of the six granted studies, this is the first one to be available to the be consulted by the companies, research entities and public and private innovation stakeholders of the region. This study demonstrates that actors in the field of medical devices may take great advantage of the 3D printing technology through a wide variety of applications. Therefore, this is a highly interesting area for NORTEXCEL2020 to position itself as an important player, by supporting medical devices companies to integrate 3D printing in their R&D process as well as to use this technology as a key element in the production chain of custom-made medical devices. The study adds that there is a clear opportunity to explore and promote the 3D printing market segment in Portugal, in particular in health domains. The untapped potential existing in regions such as Norte should be used to create relevant innovative projects and proof-of-concepts where the 3D printing technology is investigated to boost the development of novel solutions to answer the constant demands of modern healthcare systems
NORTEXCEL believes that the high quality of the study will be a valuable asset for the health ecosystem in the region.