Medical device manufacturing poses unique challenges for maintaining quality and consistency. Medical devices must be built to exacting standards and their failure is simply not an option. Some medical devices are also constrained by the demands of mass production, while others are one-off products made with newer manufacturing technologies. In critical applications, defective devices could mean the difference between life and death in patients and result in severe consequences for manufacturers, suppliers, and clinicians.
With an estimated market value of over $500 billion by 2020, the medical device industry is projected to experience unprecedented growth in the near future. Technological innovations are no doubt a key driver in this growth, with increased developments in surgical robotics and advanced medical diagnostic devices.