In(3D)ustry:From Needs to Solutions conference will be held in Barcelona, Spain on June 21-23 to see world-famous companies like HP, Hofmann and Ultimaker take part in event. While Vinton Cerf (Father of Internet) will deliver opening keynote, Architects will represent the latest 3D printed projects and surgeons will describe how the technology is being used for medical applications including facial reconstruction and pediatric oncology.

CIFP Don Bosco, a vocational training center located in the Basque Country of Spain, began working with 3D printers and soon its students and staff signed up with e-NABLE as volunteers. They immediately met two recipients from Mexico – 54 year old Rodolfo and 57 year old Gustavo for which Don Bosco students created the Flexy Hand 2 model. Since then, CIFP Don Bosco is working with e-NABLE to help people requiring prosthetics for a better life.

Researchers at Biomedical Research Institute of La Paz Hospital (IdiPAZ) in Spain are working to 3D print cornea substitutes, using a patient’s own stem cells and thereby reduce the huge global demand of over 10 million people to donate corneas. The project called ‘Cornal stroma fabrication’ will include use of steam cells from patients to be used for 3D printing the custom corneas and using tissue engineering to regenerate different layers of the cornea for Corneal Transplant.

Researchers from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) in Barcelona developed a new method of designing porous scaffolds for FDM 3D printing using a dual-extruder Sigma 3D printer from BCN3D to fabricate three sample scaffolds out of PLA, and then measuring their pore size and total porosity. They applied their model to a disc shape and defined three different variables: Distance between parallel planes; Number of base points for columns on each plane and Radius of each column.

The PAMIS project aims at improving scoliosis surgery through the development of 3D Printing Technology. Using 3D scans of the patient’s spine, patient specific implants can be 3D printed, using lightweight, biocompatible materials and used for Scoliosis surgery. CITD, a Spanish engineering company, has taken over PAMIS Project with plans to further revolutionize the technology with their expertise in additive manufacturing for healthcare.

Biodonostia Health Research Institute, a medical research institute in Basque, Spain, recently partnered with Tecnun, a specialist division of the Universidad de Navarra, and Tknika, a regional Research and Applied Innovation Center for Vocational Education and training, in order to help its surgeons harness FDM 3D printing technology from Stratasys to help in surgical preparation and planning. With the help from partnership, the surgical teams can receive highly accurate 3D printed medical models, made with Stratasys’ FDM technology, within 24 hours which can help patient care by reducing the amount of time patients spend in surgery, especially surgeries for complex thoracic wall tumors.

Researchers from UK and Spain used 3D Printing to help Visually Impaired using Printlets with Braille and Moon patterns. SLS 3D printing was used to fabricate the orally disintegrating printlets (ODPs) with Braille and Moon patterns, allowing patients to have fast knowledge regarding medication where Paracetamol was used as the model drug. The researchers believe this will encourages self-administration of medicines, improving patient compliance and treatment efficacy.