Microfabrica and Johnson Matthey Medical Combine Forces

Manufacturing company Microfabrica Inc. has entered into an exclusive sales and marketing partnership with Johnson Matthey Medical (JMI), a manufacturer of medical device components made from platinum group metals and other specialty materials. The partnership provides JMI access to Microfabrica’s additive manufacturing process—MICA freeform (an additive manufacturing process that stacks thin layers of metal)—and extends JMI’s process and materials capabilities. The companies also hope the relationship will allow Microfabrica to leverage JMI’s industry position and access a diverse customer base that will benefit from Microfabrica’s ability to fabricate sub-millimeter, high precision metal parts.

As a platform technology, MICA freeform is suited for high tech industries such as medical devices that demand extreme precision at a very small scale. JMI specializes in fabricating medical device components, with a portfolio that includes catheter guide wires, radiopaque markers for stents, and electrodes for cardiac rhythm and electrophysiology. These components could benefit from the MICA freeform process.

“Johnson Matthey is an ideal partner for us,” said Eric Miller, CEO of Microfabrica. “We see our technology as a logical extension of Johnson Matthey Medical’s process and materials capabilities. Their domain expertise in medical device component manufacturing, combined with our ability to produce sub-millimeter, high precision components and assemblies, offers customers an ability to execute design challenges, regardless of scale.”

“The partnership with Microfabrica brings an exciting and novel manufacturing process into Johnson Matthey’s product portfolio that significantly expands the metal component choices we can offer our customers at the millimeter and sub millimeter scale,” added JMI’s General Manager Brian Woodward.

Van Nuys, Calif.-based Microfabrica is a technology company with an additive manufacturing process that yields high precision and high strength metal parts.

Johnson Matthey Medical Components supplies specialty and precious metal tubing, wire, machine parts, and nitinol to the medical device industry. The company is headquartered in West Chester, Pa.