Miniaturization
Miniaturization is the maximum reduction in the size of medical technology, while at the same time maintaining or optimizing the performance of the medical product. Miniature solutions primarily offer advantages to the patient, as application is significantly gentler and less conspicuous. The variety of technical miniature solutions is limitless: sensors, actuators, valves, pumps, implants – everything is developed in the smallest possible form. Special micro-manufacturing processes are necessary for production, but the requirements for the quality of the materials used are also more stringent. The tooling required for forming processes into the miniaturized shape is also more complex than for larger, ordinary components because forces are distributed differently during manufacturing. A promising combination of two additive processes for manufacturing miniaturized products is the collaboration of multiphoton polymerization and stereolitography.
