Exploring Additive Manufacturing Applications in the Healthcare Sector

Additive Manufacturing (AM) is progressively consolidating its role within high value-added sectors such as healthcare, driving the transformation of contemporary medicine toward patient-specific and technologically advanced solutions. Within this evolving landscape, the present study investigates Material Extrusion (MEX). Through controlled feedstock deposition, this versatile technology enables the fabrication of complex and customised geometries that remain scarcely attainable through conventional processes. The research unfolds along two parallel and complementary lines, focusing on polymer-based and metal-based applications to critically assess the technological maturity and medical potential of MEX. The primary investigation addresses the development of customised polymeric orthoses through a structured multi-step workflow integrating patient data acquisition, digital modelling and AM. A dedicated Python-based software was developed to support the digital modelling of customised wrist orthoses for joint immobilisation. The proposed methodology demonstrated adaptability beyond the specific clinical case study, proving suitable for other anatomical regions with varying degrees of complexity. Design optimisation strategies are further evaluated to enhance lightweight performance, mechanical reliability and patient comfort, while ensuring economic and production sustainability. The entire research framework is built around the effective integration of these technological solutions into real clinical practice. In parallel, the study examines the emerging field of metal MEX for medical components, assessing the production of AISI 316L parts and adapting processing strategies from established metal AM technologies. Overall, the research brings together consolidated findings and preliminary investigations into a comprehensive framework, delivering a multidimensional assessment of MEX applicability in the medical domain.