3D Printing Unpeeled: Printing Titanium Implants at the Point of Care in Thailand

One of my favorite startups, Mantle3D, has picked up $20 million in funding. The C round was lead by Schooner Capital, with Fine Structure Ventures, Foundation Capital, Corazon Capital, 11.2 Capital, and Build Collective participating. Previously the company raised $25m in a series B and $13m before that. I love Mantle´s team and their go to market. Through being specialized in producing tooling they can focus more on the customers and their needs. It’s nice to see a company get investment in this market as well. 

Austrian startup NanoVoxel is using UpNano 2PP and a MicroPower molder from Wittmann Battenfeld to make molds for series production. The nifty approach could really net them a lot of customers in the medical and precision manufacturing space who struggle to prototype and produce in adequately priced series. 

Personalized titanium implants made point of care is something that so far the Mayo Clinic is attempting, the HSS does at scale and the Veterans Administration is looking into. So it’s a bit of a surprise that a Thai hospital will do it as well. Aided by Meticuly the Siriraj Hospital aims to produce personalized implants at the point of care. The hospital is Thailand´s largest. Meticuly meanwhile has gotten FDA 510(k) clearance previously for a cranioplasty implant, a patient specific titanium CMF implant and the workflow that will be used to produce the implants in the hospital. The implants will be made in the Vulcan Box which is a containerized medical device manufacturing unit with a QMS certification. A lot of people automatically assume that the US will continue to lead in innovation, especially medical innovation. But, more nimble competitors could best US firms. Earlier in 3D printing for implants small Italian firms such as Lima and Adler Ortho blazed the way for titanium orthopedic implants ahead of large US firms.