Materialise NV Brings the Latest 3D Printing Innovations to Detroit

While we are seeing and will continue to see ‘start-up’ companies in the 3D Printing arena, there are some companies that one could call ‘veterans’ of the technology. Such is the case with Belgium’s Materialise NV (U.S. headquarters in Plymouth, Mich.).

Founded in 1990 with the goal of enabling new uses for the potential offered by 3D printing, the company has leveraged its experience to create a range of software and 3D printing services, which together form a backbone for the 3D printing industry. Materialise’s open and flexible platforms enables users in such industries as healthcare, automotive, aerospace, art and design, and consumer goods to build innovative 3D printing applications.

Coming up June 7-8, is a two-day conference at Cobo in Detroit—The Materialise Experience—that will feature innovators from the manufacturing, medical device and healthcare industries. Moreover, on June 6, attendees are invited to tour Materialise’s North American headquarters in Plymouth and attend a hands-on training program on Materialise’s software. Here are key aspects of the program:

• Additive Manufacturing—Leaders from the manufacturing and automotive industries will share their experiences and current innovations in 3D printing and the future of the technology, including metal 3D printing, streamlined production and applications beyond prototyping. The lineup includes Michael Whitens, global director of vehicle & enterprise sciences at Ford Motor Co., who will discuss key enablers to accelerate additive manufacturing growth and how to create a mind shift in modeling, part design/consolidation, materials and supply chain.
• Medical Devices—Experts from medical device companies will discuss how they have utilized 3D printing technology and their vision for future innovations in their companies. During one medical device session, Bill Hartman, director of global technologies at Zimmer Biomet will discuss the value of implementing 3D planning and printing and how the technology enhances patient services.
• Hospital—Hospital leaders will present best practices, including how to set-up on-site print labs, new approaches to surgeries, insurance reimbursements and comparisons between insourcing versus outsourcing. Among the hospital leaders presenting will be Dee Dee Wang, MD, director of the Center for Structural Heart Disease at Henry Ford Health System, who will discuss the impact of integrating 3D printing and planning into structural heart interventions.

The program also presents an opportunity for networking with key note speakers from Materialise and other organizations on the leading edge of 3D printing, such as GE, GM, Boston’s Children’s Hospital, DuPuy Synthes and others.

 

Says Bryan Crutchfield, v.p. and general manager of Materialise North America, “With companies from automakers to major hospitals adpting 3D printing, the industry has come a long way since our founder bought his first printer and began writing software for manufacturing nearly 30 years ago….with the Materialise Experience, we are bringing together professionals at the forefront of 3D printing technology to show how their organizations are collaborating, innovating and pushing the boundaries of 3D printing across industries.