China makes global breakthrough in high-speed 3D printers for medical equipment

A medical technology company in southwest China has pioneered globally unprecedented speed in the 3D printing of orthopedic casts, producing personalized supports in less than half an hour.

The state-of-the-art machines are the world's first 3D high-speed printing (3D HSP) systems for producing medical equipment, developed by West China Pitech, headquartered in Chengdu, the capital of southwest Sichuan Province.

The printers can rapidly produce external fixation supports similar to plaster casts used in emergencies and to help patients recover from injuries. The technology has now been widely applied in 16 provinces and regions across China.

"Our equipment is the world's first 3D HSP printer. Traditional machines usually take five to six hours to print, but that's been shortened to about 20 minutes. This is key to the new quality productivity forces that we advocate for now, as it gives patients a better experience and provides more timely treatment," said Sun Miao, general manager of West China Pitech.

Besides 3D printing, the company also takes a leading role in medical rehabilitation. One of their products, a robotic device with a control stick that can be pushed and pulled in all directions, lets patients play the classic Chinese tile game of Mahjong and other interactive games to aid upper limb recovery.

"You can start trying to push it forward. We now control this hand, shuffle the cards here, and fully mobilize people's subjective initiative," said Zhang Tailue, head of the logical feature team of West China Pitech.

The level of resistance on the control stick can be adjusted based on the personalized needs of the patient, according to Zhang.

"The scenarios we are currently targeting are communities and homes. With our equipment offered to communities, the elderly can simply go downstairs and spend a few minutes completing these. It’s an important example of the new quality productive forces, as it allows more people to enjoy a better experience at a lower cost," said Zhang.

China makes global breakthrough in high-speed 3D printers for medical equipment

China makes global breakthrough in high-speed 3D printers for medical equipment

The United States on Monday announced massive new economic sanctions against Iran, expanding restrictions to five additional sectors in an effort to increase pressure on and further isolate the country.

According to a notice published by the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, the sanctions are now extended to Iran's aviation, digital assets, gold, shipping, and technology sectors.

It also said that the United States would suspend multiple general licenses related to Iran, covering certain educational activities and services, personal remittances, and sports and academic exchanges.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told a press conference Monday that "We are launching an economic onslaught against Iran's financial connections around the globe," adding "Our objective is to sever every economic lifeline" that sustains the country.

Bessent further warned that Washington is no longer acceptable to operating in the "gray spaces" of this conflict and threatened to move unilaterally through Treasury authorities if some countries do not cut financial ties with Iran.

He also cautioned that any entity found to be involved in money laundering on behalf of Iran would be cut off from the U.S. dollar system.

The latest measures represent a significant escalation in U.S. pressure on Tehran, as President Donald Trump's administration continues to pursue what it describes as a policy of maximum economic pressure.

On June 18, Iran and the United States signed the peace memorandum of understanding (MoU) on ending the war in the region on all fronts, including Lebanon. Under the MoU, the two countries were scheduled to hold negotiations within a 60-day period, ending on Aug. 17, to reach a final agreement. However, the fate of the talks has been hanging in the balance amid the continued escalations between the two countries since the signing of the document.

US unveils massive new sanctions to cripple Iran's economy