Recently, the author learned from foreign media that Aurora Labs, a 3D printing expert, has signed an agreement with the university of western Australia and the royal Perth hospital to explore the use of 3D printing technology to produce medical implants for human body.

Under the agreement, the partners will use Aurora's s-titanium Pro small printer to develop 3D printed designs, specifications and parameters for human medical implants. The results will serve as a guide for future 3D printing of titanium medical implants.

Aurora will provide a free 3-d printer and metal powder for the six-month program. It will also provide staff maintenance and training, if required, to provide advice and assistance on the use of metal printing and printers.

The university of western Australia will study the properties of implants that are suitable for tissue ingrowth and evaluate materials that determine the optimal size and distribution for consistent print results.

The royal Perth hospital will provide appropriate skull plate design for the project and consult with the cranioplasty application after printing.

The partners will apply to the Australian trade and investment commission for a $26,000 innovation alliance grant to help cover the costs.

Aurora managing director David Budge said: "this partnership is a significant achievement for Aurora as it enhances our credibility and demonstrates the potential applications of additive manufacturing in the healthcare industry."

"It also shows progress in additive manufacturing in a number of areas. Titanium is known to be used in a variety of industries, but in the medical field, titanium is the most compatible metal with the human body. The Aurora technology is adaptable to meet the needs of patient-specific on-demand medical implants.