Source: Julian Brown.
Sam Anson, editor
The following stories are the ten most-read stories on MedicalPlasticsNews.com for 2013.
1. Arburg Freeformer 3D Printer: Nobody Saw That Coming (October)
Less than 24 hours after Arburg unveiled their new Freeformer additive manufacturing machine at K, Sam Anson blogged on what the move means for both the injection moulding sector as well as the additive manufacturing community.
2) Trends in 3D Printing of Customised Medical Devices (June)
Additive manufacturing is being used increasingly to make customised medical devices. Jenna Franklin of EnvisionTec provided a summary of recent trends followed by a triangle of interconnected factors in 3D printing from EOS.
3) Overview of FDA Regulatory Requirements for Medical Devices (June)
Here's a guide to the USA's medical device approval process, the 510k, named after the reference to the section of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic act which defines the regulation for introducing a device into interstate commerce.
4) Creating Vision Across the Polymer Lifecycle (September)
Ahead of her highly anticipated talk at BTEC, North Carolina State University, speaker Dr Densmore provided readers with some simple steps to guide engineers in mapping a polymer product's lifecycle illustrated with a real life PS cell culture container case study.
5) A Guide to Additive Manufacturing for Plastics Engineers (May)
Phil Kilburn of UK additive manufacturing experts 3T RPD provided a beginner's guide for those new to additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing.
6) News from Manufacturers of Long Term Implantable Polymers (May)
This round up done in June of recent innovations features news from manufacturers of long term implantable high performance polymers—materails which are incredibly useful in medical devices. The materials demonstrate physical properties similar to metal, like fatigue and chemical resistance and tensile strength. The fact they are mouldable and extrudable allows more intricate designs.
7 Abbott Publish Data on Clinical Performance of Absorb Bioresorbable Vascular Stent (June)
US headquartered healthcare product manufacturer Abbott published clinical data which the company says supports the long-term performance of its Absorb bioresorbable vascular stent.
8) Women in Science, Engineering and Technology, by Jessica Jones (August)
UK Young Engineer of the Year Jessica Jones is not your typical electronics and astrophysics student. She wrote for Medical Plastics News about why we need women in engineering.
9) Regenerative Medicine and 3D Bioprinting: Polymers Sow the Seed of Life (April)
The growth of human tissue outside the body is a mainstream area of scientific research. Polymers play a crucial role as materials for cell scaffolds which can be impregnated with stem cells during manufacture. 3D printing is used extensively.
10) Latest Review of Evidence Suggests BiSphenol A is Safe (September)
Following a thorough literature review, MPN confirmed no evidence exists that bisphenol A is dangerous and is on a par with caffeine. An adult would have to ingest 600 kg of BPA-contacted food a day to approach the daily intake limit set by the EU.