Article published in BONEZONE
What does it take to launch a 3D-printed cementless knee implant faster and more cost-effectively than traditional manufacturing — without compromising quality?
This article shares how Maxx Orthopedics brought their cementless knee to market using Orchid’s additive manufacturing platform, and the keys that made our collaboration a success.
EXCERPT:
Advanced Capabilities. Maxx’s goal wasn’t just to create another tibial baseplate. AM enabled its team to design a device that minimizes bone loss and offers more anatomical flexibility.
It’s important for OEMs to understand what capabilities they seek in a partner. Orchid’s AM-based lattice structure was engineered to resemble the mechanical properties, strength and pore size of bead-sintered coating.
At a time when much of the orthopedic industry was gravitating toward laser-based 3D printing, Orchid went in a different direction that aligned with the needs of its customer base. The company worked closely with GE Additive to increase its EBM capabilities, which is ideally suited for efficiently producing large joint components.
“We can stack up to 889 layers in a single build, producing between 200 and 350 parts at a time, depending on size,” Khot said. “That kind of scale, combined with quality consistency, is what makes us competitive.”
Recognizing that OEMs often struggle with post-processing, Orchid invested in building a full AM ecosystem, from printing to final finishing.
“A lot of OEMs have the printers, but they don’t have the expertise to finish large joint implants,” Khot said. “We’ve built out the entire supply chain. When Maxx places an order, they receive a fully finished device, not just a printed part.”
Orchid recently delivered a batch of finished tibial baseplates to Maxx in just seven weeks. That’s a significant improvement over traditional methods, which can take 25 to 30 weeks to complete when factoring in forging, machining and coating.
Orchid’s bold investment in EBM was important to Maxx. “A lot of suppliers dip their toe in,” Perine said.
“Orchid dove in headfirst. That told us they’re not just experimenting, that they’re committed to this technology and they’re planning to scale with it.”