SANTI PRINTING: Driving New Applications for 3D Printing in Healthcare

Many of you may have heard of the duck from the University of Taiwan that was attacked by a wild dog and left with a disabled left foot, because the lucky duck was later given a "shoe" made through 3D printing technology, thus regaining the ability to walk. It also became the second duck in the world to "wear" a 3D printed assistive device.

　　Reed Kaha, a 3-year-old boy living in Maui, Hawaii, USA, was born without a right hand due to amniotic band syndrome. With the help of a non-profit organization and the use of 3D printing technology, he was given a prosthetic limb like Iron Man.

　　That's right! They are all beneficiaries of the successful application of 3D printing technology in the field of medical rehabilitation aids!

　　In China, a company focusing on the research and development, manufacturing and application of 3D printing technology has already possessed such a strength, it is SANDY Printing Technology Co. In 2014, SANDY Printing completed the domestic 3D printing through the merger and acquisition of the leading domestic rehabilitation aids enterprise - Beijing Global Precision Aids Rehabilitation Technology Co. Ltd., a leading domestic rehabilitation aids company, completed the domestic 3D printing technology application in the field of rehabilitation aids! This also adds important chips for the application of 3D printing technology in the domestic medical industry.

3D application of rehabilitation aids to promote the development of the medical industry

　　The ageing of society has become a current global problem, and is particularly prominent in China. According to some statistics, there are about 85 million disabled people and 200 million elderly people in China. According to the World Health Organization, about 0.5% of the population in developing countries need orthotics or prosthetics, and 1% of the population need wheelchairs. The state proposes to take multiple measures to vigorously develop the health service industry, and rehabilitation aids are one of its important components. Nowadays, with the development of economy and technology and the gradual change of people's health concepts, the rehabilitation field not only cares about the lifelong disabled population, but also begins to pay attention to long-term and short-term external dysfunctions, sub-healthy people and chronic disease patients. The wide-ranging social demand has contributed to the rapid development of rehabilitation aids, whose service targets have expanded from initially disabled soldiers of the revolution to all physically and mentally handicapped persons, such as ordinary disabled persons, the elderly, the injured and the sick, etc., and whose products have developed to meet the needs of handicapped persons in all aspects of work, life, communication and health.

　　Founded in 2007, Beijing Universal Precision Auxiliary Rehabilitation Technology Co., Ltd. is a joint-stock company with the National Rehabilitation Auxiliary Research Center as its technical support, integrating the R&D, design, manufacturing, sales and service of orthopaedic products, which are mainly applied in the fields of early prevention, clinical treatment and auxiliary rehabilitation of orthopaedic diseases and neurological diseases. The company's products from the classification of human body parts involves the human torso, upper limb, lower limb, foot four categories; from the classification of disease involves orthopedics, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, neurology, rehabilitation, etc.; from the classification of the nature of the injury involves the early prevention, first aid treatment, clinical immobilization, protection and alleviation of chronic diseases, correction of external form, functional compensation and assisted rehabilitation and other phases, a total of more than 100 categories, more than 360 kinds of Products. Under the guidance of the concept of "making domestic high-quality products and building a world brand", the company has successively obtained ISO9001 quality management system certification, ISO13485 medical device quality management system certification, and has a number of internal auditors; the company has solid managerial and technical strength, and attaches great importance to the introduction and cultivation of high-end human resources, and has a number of senior engineers, senior engineers, and senior engineers recognized by the Ministry of Human Resource Management. The company has been recognized by the Ministry of Human Resources as a senior engineer, physician, prosthetic-orthotic technician, accountant, senior human resources and senior quality inspector and other talents; the company has carried out trade and technical exchanges with a number of countries and has obtained the CE certification, FDA certification and free sales certificate; the company has strong production strength, has obtained the license for the production of medical devices, production and research and development of an area of more than 2,500 square meters, including more than 1,000 square meters of warehousing area and 100 square meters of inspection and testing area, and has obtained the ISO9001 quality management system certification. The company has a strong production strength and has obtained the license of medical device production, with a production and R&D area of more than 2,500 square meters, including more than 1,000 square meters of warehousing area and 100 square meters of inspection area. The company takes R&D and innovation as the foundation of enterprise development, and has obtained 14 medical device registration certificates and 27 patents, and has been rapidly recognized by the industry for its excellent design, fast fit, safe materials, convenient installation, good reputation and other advantages, and the products are sold in many countries and well received by domestic and foreign users.

　　The strong alliance between Universal Precision and SANDI Printing combines 3D printing, an advanced additive manufacturing technology, in the R&D and manufacturing of rehabilitation aids, which will greatly enhance the level of personalization, customization and precision in the domestic rehabilitation aids industry. This is mainly due to the advantages and features of 3D printing technology, such as customization, local production, unlimited quantity and cost saving.

　　3D printing is a manufacturing technology that integrates optical/mechanical/electrical, computer, numerical control and new materials. It is a technology that constructs three-dimensional objects by depositing or gluing materials layer by layer by accumulating layer by layer, based on data design files from a computer. In the process of product molding, 3D printing dispenses with the complex process of traditional manufacturing, without the need for molds, and molding in one go. As a result, 3D printing allows for the design and production of more complex structures. With the continuous progress of technology, 3D printing in casting accuracy has also been comparable to the traditional way, especially in personalized, small batch and high-precision product manufacturing on the application of the advantages are particularly obvious.

　　The unique advantages of 3D printing over traditional manufacturing technologies have brought about far-reaching changes in design, development, production and technical support for many industries. In the medical industry, it is mainly applied to: in vitro medical devices, including medical models, diagnostic and treatment devices, rehabilitation aids, prosthetics, hearing aids, dentistry, surgical guides, etc.; permanent implants, i.e., the use of titanium alloys, cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloys, bioceramics and polymers and other materials, 3D printing of bones, cartilage, joints, teeth, and other products, implanted in the human body through surgery; 3D bioprinting, i.e., the use of "bio-ink" containing cells and growth factors, combined with other materials layer by layer. 3D bioprinting, that is, the use of "bio-ink" containing cells and growth factors, combined with other materials layer by layer to print out products, in vitro and in vivo cultivation, the formation of physiological function of the tissue structure. Statistics predict that 3D printing technology will be rapidly adopted in the medical industry, and it is expected that the market will reach 1.9 billion U.S. dollars in 2025, which is equivalent to more than 10 billion yuan. Evidently, the development space of 3D printing technology in the medical field is very huge, and at the same time, it will play a positive role in promoting and leading the development of the medical industry.

M&A growth to seize the first opportunity to layout the 3D industry chain

　　Any enterprise development to a certain stage, rely on natural growth to achieve scale expansion is obviously a very long process. Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) is the preferred way for enterprises to enter new industries and markets, and is also an important means of resource integration within the industry. Therefore, mergers and acquisitions have become the most effective growth strategy adopted by enterprises in addition to natural growth. Through mergers and acquisitions, enterprises can utilize the existing business and resources of the target company to rapidly open up the situation and capture the market.

　　SANDY Printing Technology Co., Ltd.'s merger and acquisition of Beijing Global Jingbo Rehabilitation Aids Technology Co., Ltd. is a manifestation of its forward-looking strategic vision. Together with its holding of Beijing Longyuan Automatic Molding System Co., Ltd., SANDY Printing has obviously seized the first opportunity in the layout of the domestic 3D printing industry chain and walked in the forefront of the industry. Through mergers and acquisitions, SANDY Printing has realized complementary product lines, integration of product technology, combination and expansion of channels, mutual combination of brands, effective expansion of market share and comprehensive enhancement of services. As a result, when domestic counterparts are still limited to a small range of specialized fields for research and development, three emperor printing currently has a 3D printing technology in the medical, aerospace, marine, automotive manufacturing, casting, consumer goods and other industries, the comprehensive application of strength, which is the first in the domestic 3D printing industry!

　　In the process of development, an enterprise cannot do without the guidance of a strategic policy, so the sense of mission and strategic thinking of the company's decision-makers become the core driving force of the company's development. Behind the M&A strategy of SANDY Printing, there is also a helmsman who is planning and planning, he is Dr. Zong Guisheng, the founder of SANDY Printing and the chairman of the board of SANDY Printing.

　　Dr. Zong Guisheng received his Ph.D. degree in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in 1991, specializing in 3D printing research, and is one of the world's first 3D printing Ph.D.s. He has received more than twenty patents. In 1993, Dr. Zong led the research and development of China's first industrial 3D printing equipment, named it rapid prototyping machine, and declared the national terminology, and in 1994, he founded Beijing Longyuan Automated Prototyping System Co. He has given more than a hundred lectures, cultivated many talents and users in 3D printing industry, and made Longyuan Molding become a famous brand enterprise in 3D printing industry with 20 years of continuous operation, and made contributions to Chinese aerospace, automobile manufacturing, medical and other industries. In order to improve the level of enterprise management, Dr. Zong Guisheng has successively held senior positions of global management in the top 500 multinational enterprises in the United States, and has more than 20 years of experience in enterprise management and R&D management. Dr. Zong has extensive experience in 3D printing, hardware and home furnishings, network information technology, M&A integration and other fields.

　　Dr. Zong Guisheng is precisely with his reasonable and agile strategic thinking that surpasses his peers, and after 20 years of precipitation and accumulation, he has built up a strong foundation to lead SANDI Printing to stand out in China's 3D printing industry!

Expanding fields of application 3D printing has a bright future

　　With the continuous promotion of computing power, design software, new materials and Internet advancement, after more than twenty years of development, 3D printing technology has been developing rapidly in recent years, and the application fields have been broadening, showing great potential for development. Today, we can see a wide range of applications of 3D printing technology in aerospace, and weapons, automobiles and racing cars, electronics, biomedical, jewelry, games, consumer goods, construction, education and many other fields.

　　For example, Beijing Longyuan Automatic Molding System Co., Ltd, a subsidiary of SANDY Printing, was founded in 1994 and was the first to enter the research and development of 3D printing in China. It successfully developed China's first laser rapid prototyping machine in the year it was founded, and devoted itself to the development of Selective Laser Powder Sintering (SLS) rapid prototyping machine, as well as to the application of rapid prototyping processing services. The AFS series of SLS rapid prototyping machines are widely used in the design and prototyping departments of scientific research institutes, aerospace, shipbuilding, automobile and motorcycle, home appliances and toys, and medical modeling industries.

　　According to some sources, the market size of 3D printing is expected to reach $6 billion by 2019; by 2025, the direct economic impact of 3D printing will reach about $500 billion per year, of which the direct economic impact of industrial applications is expected to be in the range of $100-200 billion, in the complex, small-volume customized parts including medical devices and major high-end parts in aerospace The size of the market is expected to reach nearly $800 billion in 2025 in terms of production.

　　On the research and development and application of 3D printing technology, General Secretary Xi Jinping has personally instructed "to grasp the industrialization", the state has also introduced a number of related policies and measures, 3D printing as a new industry to cultivate the focus of the strengthening of the main body of enterprise innovation, and strengthen government guidance and support. Recently, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has completed the preliminary development of the "National Additive Manufacturing Development and Promotion Program (2014-2020)" (draft), is expected to be introduced within the year. National Development and Reform Commission and other departments have also launched various support funds to promote the innovation and upgrading of additive technology. In addition, governments and related departments across the country have also been actively planning and implementing the introduction and application of 3D printing technology in various forms. China 3D printing technology industry alliance secretary-general Luo Jun said, China has the potential to become the world's largest 3D printing market, the next 3-5 years is expected to at least double the annual growth rate.

　　It is clear that both the policy level and the industry's own development drive, there is no doubt that China's 3D printing industry shows a beautiful blueprint for the development of the industry and a broad market outlook. We also have reason to believe that in the three emperor printing technology limited company with such strong strength of the enterprise's leadership, will also promote the 3D printing technology in more fields of application and development!