When I last spoke to Drew Greenblatt, in March, the world looked a little different.

Additive manufacturing has moved far beyond its prototyping roots. Today, additive for production applications is a growing area of interest.

The medical field is front and center right now. Whether it’s manufacturing new ventilators or analyzing virus particles, the importance of the medical industry has never been clearer.

In these strange times, every industry around the globe has been affected by the coronavirus. And manufacturing is no different.

Anyone involved in medical device manufacturing knows that their industry is highly regulated. Almost every medical device manufacturer or pharmaceutical supplier uses materials testing systems in their quality control and research laboratories or outsources their testing to approved third-party laboratories. 

Medical devices can present unique challenges for manufacturers. Consequences for malfunctioning equipment can be dire. Because of this, medical device manufacturers must work hard to ensure that their products never fail.

Medical device implants have become increasingly more complex over time as technology has progressed into providing a new way of construction by the means of 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing. 

The medical industry stands out from other aspects of manufacturing. The inspection rates are often higher, quality is paramount, and the products could be implanted into the human body.

Quality 4.0 derived from Industry 4.0, also known as the fourth industrial revolution. Prior to the fourth revolution, the first revolution started with machine manufacturing, steam power, and the move to cities by agriculturalists.