Yesterday, in cooperation with the Faculty of Engineering University of Rijeka i the City of Rijeka, held a congress at the Torpedo Production Park 3D Printing in Medicine and Engineering.
The aim of the congress was, along with numerous lectures and panel discussions, to present the latest trends and possibilities of the application of additive technologies in the dental industry and medicine, and to encourage the exchange of knowledge and possible cooperation between experts in the field of medicine and technological innovations.
Event programme
The Congress began with ceremonial greetings from the organizers, prof.dr.sc. Senke Maćešić, Ms Snježana Prijić Samaržije, Vice-Rector for Digitalisation and Development, and Ms Jane, Vice-Rector of the University of Rijeka Sertic, Head of the Administrative Department for Economy, Development, Ecology and European Projects, in her capacity as delegate to Marko Filipović, Mayor of the City of Rijeka. Both speakers emphasized the necessity of further strengthening the cooperation between the University and the City of Rijeka, especially through the perspective of research and development projects. A successful example of a project was also mentioned in this segment. CEKOM for smart cities, bringing together a total of 20 partners and stepping up cooperation between entrepreneurs, academia and the public administration on intensification of innovation.
Signing ceremony of the Cooperation Agreement
One of the key moments of the congress was the solemn signing of the Cooperation Agreement between the Rijeka Development Agency Porin and the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Rijeka, which represents an important step in strengthening cooperation between industry and the academic community.
The Agreement defines the principles of long-term cooperation between the Faculty of Engineering and the Rijeka Development Agency Porin on research, development and education projects, but also through the provision of concrete assistance and support to entrepreneurs, either with the aim of improving technical and technological solutions or solving certain challenges in production.
Lectures and panel discussions
The conference included two panels and eleven lectures. Prof. dr.sc. Mladen Perinić he opened a series of lectures with an introduction to additive technologies, followed by a lecture on the advantages of 3D printed implants, materials used and clinical examples of prof.dr.sc. Zoran blacksmith Dr. med. dent. His knowledge and experience in the application of 3D printing in dental medicine was shared by dr.sc. Vladimir Prpić dr.med.dent. from the School of Dental Medicine in Zagreb, and on the field of maxillofacial surgery specialist maxillofacial surgery dr.med. David Harmicar. Vjekoslav spoke about the creation of prostheses and adapted orthoses and other orthopaedic aids with 3D printing technology Budimir, dental technician from 3D Lab d.o.o.
A panel discussion on the topic followed. Application of Additive Technologies in the Dental Industry with prof.dr.sc. Zoran Kovač, PhD Vladimir Prpić, Dr. David Harmicar and Vjekoslav Budimir, moderated by prof.dr.sc. Renata Gržić, pointing out that the situation in Croatia is characterized as slightly lagging behind world trends. It was noted that private practices have greater freedom in the use of technologies, while institutions (hospital systems, etc.) are often stifled by an inefficient and sluggish system. The panel made it clear that it is necessary to work on a better and more efficient system, and that this congress is one of the steps in the right direction.
The second part of the program was opened by doc.dr.sc. David Ištoković who presented the use of 3D printed models in medical procedures, while the lecture on the topic Engineering transformation: How 3D Printing Changes the Way We Build the World Marina Kolarić Izit d.o.o. is a company that is a member of the 3D group – cluster of 3D technologies.
A great introduction to the panel discussion on the topic What does the future bring us? Toni Cindric with lecture Discovering the future: Increasing efficiency by using 3D scanners in industry.
Through the rest of the Damir program Medved, project manager EDIH Adria, presented how the EDIH Adria project helps small and medium-sized entrepreneurs, local self-government units and public enterprises in the digitalisation of business, with a special emphasis on several specific areas, one of which is health and quality of life and therefore health tourism, while Samuel Tonneslan from Brainport Development presented the 3DoP project, which aims to encourage additive production and investments in 3D printing technologies with a special focus on innovations in the dental industry, in which the Rijeka Development Agency Porin is one of the 33 project partners.
Special guests and demonstrations
Particular attention was drawn to the demonstration of Niteh d.o.o. high precision industrial laser scanner, which is used for dimensional control of products and reverse engineering.
At the end of the event, our Daniel Đuranović presented what with technology the Torpedo Production Park We can offer the market. During the tour of the Torpedo Production Park, participants had the opportunity to see equipment and demonstration examples of 3D printing with examples for medicine, especially the dental industry. Among the equipment shown is the EOS M 100, a machine that uses a laser beam to melt and merge fine metal powder, producing parts very quickly, in small quantities and with high detail resolution, making it ideal for use in dental medicine for making dental crowns and bridges.
The conclusions of the congress emphasized that Kvarner and Istria are recognized as extremely desirable destinations for dental tourism, thanks to high-quality service, expertise and competitive prices. The importance of using advanced technologies such as 3D printing has been emphasized, which can significantly improve the precision and speed of production, increasing patient satisfaction and reducing costs.
Thank you to everyone who attended and participated in this successful event. We hope for further cooperation and development of innovations that will improve our local economy and medical industry.
