Rapid 2009 emphasizes medical.(MEDICAL NEWS IN BRIEF)

North America's largest annual rapid manufacturing conference and exposition, The Rapid Conference & Exposition (sme.org/rapid), set for May 11-14 at the Schaumburg Renaissance Hotel & Convention Center, Schaumburg, IL, will devote much of its program to medical applications. Launched in 1988, the event is sponsored by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME).

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"The goal in bringing our Rapid Implant Manufacturing Forum to the RAPID show is to increase awareness of the importance that custom implants will play in the future of RP and patient care," says Colleen Wivell, general manager for the sponsoring firm Materialise USA (materialise.com), Ann Arbor, MI. "We have created an opportunity for attendees to learn about the process of custom implant design from the original patient scan through surgery."

This year, attendees are able to bring a part and have it scanned and converted into a CAD file that they take away with them," says SME's Gary Mikola. The 3D Imaging Discovery Center on the show floor will be an important stop for visitors. Other "must-see" features:

Mon., May 11: Workshop will walk attendees through the process of manufacturing custom implants. Participants will hear presentations from industry experts that address each step including scanning, data conditioning, implant design, material selection, finite element analysis (FEA) of the design, quality control, and liability. "Advances in rapid manufacturing have opened the doors to exciting new medical applications," says work-shop moderator Karen Weissman from Materialise USA. "Now we must focus on increasing the communication between engineers and doctors so that standard implants can be improved and custom implants can be designed in an efficient manner."

Tues., May 12: Mike North, cohost of the Discovery Channel's "Prototype This!", will open the show as keynote speaker. North is credited with memorable contraptions such as a mind-controlled car, and a wearable airbag. He'll share stories about his adventures on the show and discuss how prototyping plays a pivotal role getting inventions done right.

Medical Applications Tech Group meets (9-11 am) to address topics related to the use of additive manufacturing and 3D modeling. The group is part of SME's Rapid Technologies & Additive Manufacturing Community.