From microfibers to vascular grafts: Medical technology tailored to patients

New materials often deliver their full value for medical technology only when combined with precise manufacturing processes. Current research projects show how microtechnology, digital planning, and additive manufacturing enable personalized medical devices.

Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the Suzhou Institute of Nano-tech and Nano-bionics developed a process that twists ultrafine fibers into ordered bundles using only flows at a water surface. The contact-free process generates a directed rotational motion and processes delicate fibers without subjecting them to mechanical stress.

In their experiments, the team bundled silk fibers with diameters of 10 to 20 micrometers into multilayer structures. Because conventional braiding machines reach their limits at this scale, the approach opens new possibilities for manufacturing delicate fiber structures. As a potential medical application, the researchers cite multifunctional surgical suture material.

The NaRo-3D project demonstrates how materials development and digital manufacturing can be integrated into a continuous process chain. In the project, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity (BMLEH) through the Agency for Renewable Resources (FNR), the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA), biomaterials manufacturer Tecnaro, and orthopedic technology company DOI ortho-innovativ developed biobased compounds for the 3D printing of prosthetic sockets.

In addition, Fraunhofer IPA developed a virtual planning platform that converts data from MRI, laser scanners, and ultrasound into CAD and finite element models. This makes it possible to adapt the socket's geometry and wall thickness to biomechanical requirements and wearer comfort.

The digital process chain reduces manual work steps and decouples patient measurement from the actual manufacturing process. As a result, specialized providers can process measurement data independently of the manufacturing location and deploy their resources more efficiently.

A research team at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences takes this concept one step further. Using a process called Focused Rotary Jet Spinning, the researchers manufacture synthetic vascular grafts within minutes.

High-speed rotation and focused air streams transform liquid polymer solutions into micro- and nanoscale fibers that form tubular scaffolds with defined wall thicknesses and customizable diameters. In the long term, the platform is intended to produce implants tailored directly to a specific injury or to a patient's anatomical requirements.

Further studies are required before clinical application. Nevertheless, the project demonstrates how materials, manufacturing platforms, and patient-specific design can be integrated into a single production process.

Whether microfibers, prosthetic sockets, or vascular grafts, all three projects show that material innovations realize their full value through suitable manufacturing processes. Precise microstructures, digital design, and flexible production methods provide the foundation for personalized medical devices. This highlights the growing importance of integrated solutions that combine materials development, manufacturing technology, and process expertise into scalable applications.

Sources: Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, FNR (Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe) German only, Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences