Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1047182
30 SMT007 MAGAZINE I NOVEMBER 2018 Feature by Dan Feinberg I-CONNECT007 It seems that every few months, we hear about new advances in disruptive technolo- gies. As these technologies become accepted to a greater degree, there are additional areas to research. One of the areas we have been fol- lowing is additive/semi-additive 3D manufac- turing with PCB fabrication as the main focus. However, another innovative area is 3D- printed manufactured devices, replacement body parts, and medications in the medical industry. We are seeing significant advances and increased uses for 3D manufacturing in medicine—many more than 3D-printed and conductive circuits on device structural com- ponents (e.g., conductors printed on a device wall or structural angle, etc.). There is enough movement in this area that 3D additive fab- rication in medicine—including but not limit- ed to 3D-printed circuits—has become its own topic, and one that we will be watching and continuing to cover. Overview First, let's take a look at the present sta- tus of this segment to set a foundation for future coverage, especially as we are about to enter the high-tech trade show season where new advances will be introduced. Since we are discussing 3D-printed devices that are used on or in the human body, let's review the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) def - inition. "3D printing is a type of additive manu- facturing. There are several types of additive manufacturing, but the terms '3D printing' and 'additive manufacturing' are often used inter- changeably. Here, we will refer to both as 3D