The University of Wales Institute Cardiff has opened a centre for the development of affordable patient-specific medical products.

The Centre for Patient-Specific Medical Product Development will give medtech companies in Wales access to state-of-the-art technologies such as advanced CAD images, scanners, rapid prototyping and additive manufacturing techniques.

The Centre brings together the clinical expertise of the Medical Applications Group, which produces models for facial reconstruction surgery, and the industrial expertise of the National Centre for Product Design and Development Research (PDR).

In addition to helping companies create bespoke products for individual patients, the centre will help them to incorporate custom design features into existing medical devices.

The development of the Centre was motivated by the increasing demand for personalised healthcare products at a time when new product design techniques and manufacturing technologies make it possible to produce one-off products as cost-effectively as large batches.

"There is plenty of help and support available for companies developing standard medical devices but nowhere offering specialist skills, technology and knowledge in the emerging field of patient-specific healthcare devices," said PDR Commercial Director Jarred Evans.

"This centre will be unique in the UK and Europe and has the potential to provide specialist services to a large proportion of the UK's medical device and rehabilitation industry."

A technology unit at the centre houses medical software and hardware for product design and production. A technology translator will engage with NHS specialists and companies looking for new business opportunities.

The centre is resourced by the Welsh Assembly Government's Academic Expertise for Business (A4B) programme, which has European funding.