Stratasys and Bone 3D deal to deploy 3D printing across French hospitals

Stratasys, a polymer 3D printing solutions provider, has signed an agreement with French medtech start-up Bone 3D, designed to put Stratasys 3D printing technology directly into the hands of France’s front-line medical professionals.

Via Bone 3D’s Hospifactory initiative, healthcare institutions now have direct access to an immediate, localised way of 3D printing essential medical equipment, medical devices and patient-specific anatomical models. Healthcare providers can sub-contract 3D printing hardware and services from Bone 3D, granting them the direct means to fulfil their own production needs on-site, as well as receive dedicated ongoing support from Bone 3D technicians. Under the agreement, Bone 3D will invest in and supply Stratasys’ latest FDM and PolyJet 3D printing systems according to the particular requirements of individual hospitals and medical institutions that are part of the Hospifactory network. The company has invested in more than 30 Stratasys 3D printers to date.

Jérémy Adam, CEO and founder, Bone 3D said: “Early on in the COVID-19 pandemic, the world witnessed the importance of 3D printing first-hand as it provided a swift and direct means of producing vital PPE to equip frontline healthcare workers, ventilator parts and other critical medical equipment.

“However, beyond that, the versatility of 3D printing has seen huge demand from hospitals and medical institutions for a means to create maintenance parts, rehabilitation parts and medical devices. Our Hospifactory initiative will ensure that some of the market’s most advanced 3D printing technologies are made accessible exactly where and when they are needed by surgeons and clinicians across the French hospital network.”

Bone 3D’s investment in Stratasys 3D printers comprises an array of different systems, including the J750 Digital Anatomy 3D printer, which produces anatomical models that mimic the feel, responsiveness, and biomechanics of human anatomy; as well as the recently introduced more compact, full-colour, multi-material J5 MediJet 3D printer. Bone 3D also has acquired several F-Series FDM 3D printers for a range of applications requiring tough, durable parts. This includes everything from medical device development to maintenance parts within hospitals, right through to supporting patient rehabilitation, such as a replacement handle for a wheelchair.

Adam added: “Stratasys’ longstanding expertise in the healthcare industry, and continually-expanding range of 3D printing technologies and medical-grade materials, make it the ideal partner to take Hospifactory to the next level. We now have the full 3D printing package through one point of contact, giving us the production capability and agility to meet the needs of our customers.”

The latest partnership between Stratasys and Bone 3D follows last year’s deployment by Bone 3D of 60 Stratasys FDM 3D printers in the AP-HP in Paris, to support the frontline fight against COVID-19. Bone3D managed the implementation, operation and support of the fleet, which gave the AP-HP its own in-house capability to produce PPE, electrical syringe pumps, intubation equipment and respirator valves on-demand, bridging the shortfall in traditionally manufactured equipment.

Eric Erickson, director of healthcare, EMEA, Stratasys, said: “We continue to see substantial demand for 3D printing within the healthcare sector for a rapidly-broadening set of applications. The ability to produce parts locally, on-demand is a gamechanger for hospitals and medical institutions, giving them the power to 3D print the critical parts they need, when they need them. The Hospifactory initiative will significantly increase the accessibility of our 3D printing technology to a much wider geographic network of hospitals.”