Lucid invests in Formlabs 3D printer to increase medical device capabilities

Lucid Group has invested in additional additive manufacturing capacity to enhance medical device prototyping and production capabilities.

A new Formlabs 3L printer enables large-scale part manufacturing and a five-fold throughput increase within Lucid’s ISO 13485 accreditation for design and manufacturing. 

Based at Manchester Science Park, Lucid Group specialises in medical device and wellbeing product development and is widely recognised for expertise in developing innovative, connected medical devices.

Alistair Williamson, managing director, said: "Large-format additive manufacturing within medical device production accreditation enables Lucid’s team to accelerate time to market, bypass current supply-chain problems and reduce regulatory burden. As well as producing prototypes in a wide variety of materials, we’re also making production components, tooling, and jigs for production of vacuum cast and vacuum formed parts.”

A principal objective for the investment is to increase capacity for the imminent launch of Anisys GO, an innovative medical device that enables anorectal assessment and biofeedback therapy in any setting. GO has been successfully developed by Lucid Group via NHS funding through an SBRI Healthcare award.

Lucid’s existing Formlabs 3D printer will now be exclusively committed to R&D investigating the potential of additive manufacturing in biocompatible blood-contact surgical devices. This research collaboration involves academic and NHS partners and is funded by an award from a major healthcare charity.

Williamson added: “Our designers and engineers frequently meet clinicians who have spotted niche unmet needs. Often development and manufacture using traditional processes is uneconomic. Iteration of costly tooling, compliance processes and testing is protracted and risky, deterring potential investors.

“Additive manufacture with biological safety, sterility validation and manufacturing processes all managed by Lucid’s in-house team offers significant opportunities for efficiency. We aim to streamline the development of problems into products that could benefit more patients - fast.”