Berretta Medical Inc. (BMI) levers Extol’s use of CO-AM and Multi Jet Fusion 3D printing technology, as well as Toolkit3D’s modeling software, to advance the manufacture of leg braces.
It has turned to 3D printing technology after previously using milling and casting to manufacture its flagships. But with Covid-19, labor shortages, rising costs and the complexity and craftsmanship required to create the braces, the company has recently redirected its focus.
BMI is a family business with a team of just five people. Despite its modest headcount, the company typically has a demand for around 2,000 splints a year, although it may take one person a day to work on a single unit.
Beretta Medical Inc. was founded 15 years ago and is a family business whose mission is to be a leading manufacturer and distributor of orthopedic products in the Canadian Sports Medicine and O&P markets. The company prides itself on contributing to the orthopedics and prosthetics industry with competitive pricing, customized business solutions and excellent customer service.
SOLUTION
As BMI began to explore alternative manufacturing techniques, it chose Extol as its specialist supplier and began working with Toolkit3D, an online software platform specializing in modeling and customization. While BMI was entering into new partnerships with both, Toolkit3D and Extol had worked together during the pandemic to develop 3D printed masks.
Using Toolkit3D’s Shapeshift 3D design engine, BMI was able to take a simpler, more flexible design approach. Prior to design, BMI would scan the patient, enter patient records and product parameters into the system, before manufacturing the custom brace with HP Multi Jet Fusion printers through Extol.
Even though these steps are digitized, each workflow would be muted if it weren’t for Materialise’s CO-AM platform that brought them together on one platform.
“We’re still pretty new to the world of 3D printing, but we knew that additive manufacturing and digital workflows would be perfect for us, practically and financially. We needed a solution that would minimize risks, save us time during the planning and management stages, and be easy for our employees to use. That’s why we chose Toolkit3D. it does all this and connects us with our supplier through the CO-AM platform. Now, we just need to use one solution, simplify things for us and provide cost benefits.” – Nick Berretta, Head of Business Development and Owner of BMI.
Through this workflow, Toolkit3D handles support processes such as product catalog analysis, scan data validation and order processing, while BMI leverages the company’s proprietary design engine to bring products to life. The Toolkit3D API interfaces seamlessly with the CO-AM platform used by Extol, creating a digital thread connecting the three companies.
CO-AM’s API connects disparate systems together in one platform, including plant, operations, manufacturing and fulfillment systems. This ability to interface with mass-customized applications from other companies, the partners believe, will lower costs and thus potentially increase the adoption rate of custom devices.
“CO-AM benefits from BMI as it does not need its own manufacturing execution system (MES) and Extol receives automated and encrypted files that are compliant.” – Edward Ponomarev, Chief Commercial Officer at Toolkit3D.
The benefits of using Toolkit3D’s Shapeshift design engine and Extol’s Multi Jet Fusion 3D printing capability through the CO-AM platform include:
- 5-10% cost savings
- Design time per splint 20-30 minutes
- Eliminated up to 75% of the manual work required to move files through workflows.
EFFECT
Integrating with CO-AM to develop an additive manufacturing workflow to develop custom leg supports is seen as a solution that meets the needs of all three companies.
BMI is now able to create models faster than before, while reducing waste and minimizing the potential for human error in managing thousands of files. Toolkit3D helps streamline many silicon processes and connects them to a leading 3D printing supplier. And Extol can develop new business models by working with customers to produce mass-customized products at scale.
“The most effective way to accelerate the adoption of mass customization in the O&P market is to reduce costs. It is the third leg of the stool, as the technical feasibility and desirability of use have been proven. Business sustainability is the next challenge. Manually transferring data, entering orders and tracking thousands of unique files is labor intensive and prohibitive to do at scale. CO-AM and its API enable the connection of different automation islands, enabling an end-to-end digital process. And with the ability to bring together the HP MJF 4200 printers on one platform, it helps us optimize our production capacity along with other work orders that are queued for production. This is an important key to scaling patient-specific medical devices, as it is a simple solution that offers business viability.” – Kyle Harvey, Business Unit Manager – Additive Manufacturing at Extol.
With CO-AM’s ability to simplify workflows and enable a fully digital supply chain from scan to print, Materialize believes it has a lot to offer the O&P industry, especially as it aims to move closer to customized medical devices.
