Clínic, Hospital del Mar and Zona Franca Join Forces in Healthcare 3D Printing

The Zona Franca Consortium of Barcelona, Hospital Clínic, and Hospital del Mar have signed an agreement to promote 3D printing in the healthcare sector. The project will be developed in a space of over 1,000 square meters.

The three institutions signed a collaboration agreement at the end of last month to lead 3D printing in health in Catalonia. According to larazon.es, the project is considered pioneering in Europe and brings together engineers and technicians from the 3D Incubator of CZFB with the clinical and innovation teams from both hospitals.

The work will take place in a space of over 1,000 square meters located in the building of the 3D Incubator. The aim is to develop concrete solutions for the real needs of doctors, nurses, and patients, rather than merely testing technology for its own sake.

In practice, the pieces and models can be used for surgical planning, with guides and custom pieces and three-dimensional models for each case. Their use is also anticipated in patient rehabilitation, with personalised products, and in the manufacturing of replacement parts for hospital equipment.

“Shortening the distance between a detected challenge and an effective solution,” stated Blanca Sorigué, general director of the CZFB.

3D printing will also be applied to teaching and advanced simulation, with models and simulated surgeries to train professionals. Additionally, it will serve for research, through prototypes and new materials or devices.

For the Hospital Clínic, represented by its general director Josep Maria Campistol, the alliance places Catalonia in a leadership position. Meanwhile, the managing director of Hospital del Mar, Jaume Raventós, argued that cooperation allows turning limits into opportunities.

During the pandemic, the 3D Incubator of CZFB helped manufacture 400 ventilators, recalled Pere Navarro, executive president of the Consortium. Now, he explained, the goal is to create a stable structure that continues that collaboration.

The Councillor for Health, Olga Pané, concluded the presentation by stating that the project could position Catalonia as a European reference in digital manufacturing applied to health.