Design and development company Worrell announced plans Thursday to work with Stratasys, a provider of 3D printing, to accelerate medical device development through the use of 3D-printed injection molding. The companies estimate using 3D-printed mold tools could produce devices in 95 percent less time and at a cost 70 percent lower than that of aluminum molds.

Nadav Sella, senior manager of manufacturing tools at Stratasys, said the companies saw “a significant under-utilization” of the 3D-printed injection molding process in medtech development and are working to close the gap. “In an industry where products have the potential to save lives, we want to use this collaboration to demonstrate how medical device manufacturers can bring their products to market significantly faster than ever before,” he added.

The initiative began when a device industry start-up approached Worrell for help improving a needleless blood collection system. Worrell used the 3-D process to create the prototype in a matter of days, rather than the eight weeks traditional methods would have taken. Startasys and Worrell plan to promote their partnership at international tradeshows and through a series of workshops. — Elizabeth Orr

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