Report reveals opportunities for additive manufacturing within orthopaedic implants market

Provider of additive manufacturing industry analysis, SmarTech Publishing, has published a report on the additives orthopaedics industry.

The report – ‘Additive Orthopedics: Markets for 3D-Printed Medical Implants – 2017’ – reveals areas of opportunities for the additive manufacturing industry, which is faced with sizeable changes over the next several years.

Background

The study looks at the opportunities provided by additive manufacturing (AM) and 3D printing technologies’ ability to produce implants. AM technologies, for the production of approved orthopaedic devices have been a driving force in the growth of metal AM technology to address serial manufacturing applications. The industry is now expanding its efforts to include titanium implants in new orthopaedic care segments, as well as polymer and bioactive materials and 3D printing technologies to advance the future of orthopaedic care using implantable devices.

The report

In the report SmarTech state that the market additive orthopaedic market generated nearly $500 million in total opportunities in 2016.

As part of a greater opportunity in non-dental medical 3D printing opportunities, the additive orthopaedics segment is expected to drive an estimated 44% of all medical 3DP revenues today, and will continue to grow as the single largest area of medical 3DP throughout the forecast period to over 60% of all associated revenues

Production of all additively manufactured orthopaedics and medical implants is estimated to grow by 29 % CAGR through 2026, with the fastest growing segments being components of knee reconstruction systems, spinal fusion devices, and non-load-bearing extremity fracture devices greatly exceeding total average growth

Associated revenue opportunities in additive orthopaedics heavily favour outsourced manufacturing and engineering services, as outsourced production of printed implants will remain common through both contract manufacturers for standard sized implants and direct-to-provider services for patient specific implants.