Medical & Healthcare

Medical and Healthcare Applications

Rapid Designs has a long and distinguished history as a key source of product development services in the medical and healthcare sector, with a diversity of involvements ranging from surgical instrumentation to apparatus for patient care.

Exemplifying our achievements, Rapid Designs affiliate Definitive Design was honored as a winner of the 2007 Medical Design Excellence Award from Medical Design & Manufacturing magazine, for development of an innovative new walker offering enhanced mobility to patients.

Definitive Design received the coveted award for comprehensive services in designing and engineering the new “Pilot Walker” for Full Life Products, a startup entrepreneurial venture. See news release for full details. Or learn more about Definitive Design at www.definitive-design.com.

Rapid Designs is also on the leading edge of developments in advanced medical products. For example, there is a critical need for medical bio-modeling of soft tissue organs for research, patient trauma from injuries sustained in combat and everyday life. Scanning imagery technologies have enabled scientists, medical and healthcare professionals, engineers and prototype specialists to utilize 3D computer modeling and rapid prototyping technologies to meet the challenge.

Two significant new product developments illustrate Rapid Designs leadership role applying advanced materials and skilled engineering and process application. One is a simulated kidney and the other is a laser-sintered heart with unprecedented characteristics required for this assignment. Both examples started with CT imagery and applying free-form fabrication technology to create the physical organic forms. The end result was a complicated convergence of advanced technologies, traditional model making skill sets and innovative materials selections. What’s unique with both applications is the end result. The kidney is a soft 5-part assembly comprised of various gels. The kidney can be used for medical device research and development. Doctors and development engineers can demonstrate placement and removal of kidney stones directly through the self-sealing tissue using needles simulating a surgical procedure, without loss of gelatinous fluids. The urethra tube is hollow to allow penetration to the inner lobes, again simulating a medical procedure. The heart was laser sintered with an elastomeric powder material. While the actual customer application is proprietary the result demonstrates an extraordinary relationship of technology and materials to aid in medical innovations.

Today, Rapid Designs team of product development specialists is producing an array of exceedingly complicated custom anatomical models. Including among the models are various types of soft tissue, clear soft organs, organs that have a pulse or can be catheterized, skin that sweats, sealed organs with fluid, bones and organs with pockets for real tissue. Models are used for design validation, professional education, research and development and medical sales demonstration.

Rapid Designs provides a full range of services in the development of products for medical and healthcare applications, including in addition to design and engineering, prototype machining, rapid prototyping, rapid tooling, injection molding, on-demand digital rapid manufacturing and off-shore manufacturing and assembly.

Our clients in the medical/pharmaceutical sector comprise leading global companies as well as startup ventures. Prominent clients include Alcon Surgical, Bayer Healthcare, Becton Dickinson, Boston Scientific, Ethicon, Merck & Co., Stryker, Tyco Healthcare and Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories.

Contact Rapid Designs

To inquire about rapid prototyping or additive manufacturing in medical / healthcare applications, or request a quotation, please contact Rapid Designs.