TH:
Thanks for your letter. I have made comments within the body of your email:
Now, after 15 years, I was talking with a friend, of my idea for RP in the medical field,
and he showed me a web site called Materialise.com that had the software to provide SLA's
regarding the medical field. I guess I wasn't too far off in my thinking several years
back! With this, I am searching to develop a business in RP in the medical field.
***EG: There have been some patents in the field, but if all you're doing is planning
to provide RP models of bones and organs as a SB, that shouldn't be a problem. Mostly the
patents have to do with the application of specific RP technologies.
There are several SB companies and other institutions specializing in making medical RP
models, both here and abroad. Materialise provides one of the important SW packages for
the field, but there are other companies in the field, as well. See the SW listings on our
site beginning at:
http://home.att.net/~castleisland/sw_lks.htm
I am not sure as where to begin, as there are many patents already and growing. The
company that I work for now also does reverse engineering in the automotive field. We use
a white light scanner to provide a 3D point cloud of stamping dies and molds. We then
resurface this in formation to recreate the initial die after the old one has diminished
after years of use.
I feel that our company can be of great benefit in resurfacing, or recreating math from
MRI, and CT data, and need some help in coordinating our efforts to provide this service.
I am not sure that your company can help, but at least maybe you can lead us in the right
direction.
***EG: This is already a well-developed field and you should begin by investigating the
companies now involved, and looking at the applications. You can do that by looking at the
service bureaus specializing in medical applications listed on our site. You can find a
link to the service bureau directory on every page of the WWGRP site, and you'll see a
special directory link for those companies at the top. Look particularly at the
backgrounds of the principals of the companies, if available.
Also, look at the FAQ's, medical tutorial and new rapid manufacturing tutorial sections
of the site to get an idea of the applications. See the RP Digest pages for links to
numerous articles. There are also several interesting stories in the "RP Picture of the
Week" archives. All of these pages can be found from the main directory located here:
http://home.att.net/~castleisland/links.htm
What we need to begin on our endeavor:
-
A connection to companies that can utilize the services that we provide.
***EG: Medicine is a conservative field and to break into it you need to gain
experience and credibility by working in conjunction with established commercial or
academic players. It will take a considerable length of time to do that, perhaps years. I
don't think the field is yet at the point where simple advertising can be effective in
soliciting business, nor is there any way to generate a list of prospects too easily. You
probably need to forge relationships one by one. Of course, at some point you should reach
a critical mass and will be well-known enough for people to show up at your door.
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An idea of the software's and training required in the medical field
***EG: I think it's probably safe to say companies like Materialise can tell you what
you need to buy - but the real problem is that medicine is not as straightforward as
engineering. Knowing what data from a scan is relevant and making sure nothing important
is lost are medical judgments that require you to establish relationships with
knowledgeable people in the field. That level of training may be very difficult, maybe
impossible, for you to obtain on your own.
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How to purchase, rent, or lease RP equipment.
***EG: No problem! Show up at any vendor with a big check! A good guy to speak with
about leasing is one of our advertisers, Charles Norton at NCP Leasing:
Mr. Charles V. Norton, Pres.
NCP Leasing, Inc.
2055 Reading Road, Suite 270
Cincinnati OH 45202
513-333-0221, extn. 1
cnorton@ncpleasing.com
NCP's web-site is also replete with leasing info. Click on their link on our front
page.
The real problem comes in operating the equipment. The RP methods that are most likely to
be applicable to a wide range of medical apps, such as stereolithography, still require
both art and science to operate just to fabricate machine parts. Medical applications add
the difficulty of data interpretation and modification to the mix. And then, there are
potentially serious liability issues...
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Profit margins on this business.
***EG: It's highly unlikely that anyone will tell you anything about this whatsoever.
These are for the most part closely-held small companies and there is no public data
available. What you need to do is write yourself a thorough business plan and see what
your bottom line is. While medical technologies are certainly very often in the big bucks
revenue area, but the cost of training, consultants, etc., can take away from that line
substantially. It may be possible in a limited way to investigate the growth and health of
other players in the field, however.
I have already set up meetings with the major MRI and CT provider in our area to discuss
the implantation of this technology.
With this I need to set up a business plan.
***EG: That's a good start. Talk to as many people as possible. I think if you spend some
time running through the info on our site, as well, you'll begin to get a picture of the
field. I don't think your best approach would be a direct assault, however. Think about a
more creative entree where you can inch your way along without a lot of up-front work or
investment.
Should you decide to pursue this and need help, I've attached a consulting brochure.
Thanks again for your letter. Please keep me informed of your progress.
Best regards,
Ed
Ed Grenda
Castle Island Co.
The Worldwide Guide to Rapid Prototyping
