Development, integrated production and sales of high-strength, high-quality bolts, precision machined parts, etc., for the aerospace, automotive and medical markets.
Development, integrated production and sales of high-strength, high-quality bolts, precision machined parts, etc., for the aerospace, automotive and medical markets.
Translating various insights into products
Quickly applying advanced technologies
Always aiming to further improve the QOL of patientsThe Medical Division was established in 1995 based on the titanium processing technology we cultivated in the aircraft field. In the medical field, especially in orthopedic surgery, MEIRA’s high-quality screw manufacturing technology has greatly contributed to the widespread use of screws for osteosynthesis.
When the Medical Division was launched, European and American products designed to fit the skeleton of Westerners dominated the domestic market, and there were many calls for products designed to fit the skeleton of Japanese people from practicing doctors.
In addition, since European and American manufacturers rarely co-developed products for the Japanese market, there were few opportunities to translate the many excellent ideas of Japanese doctors into products.
Considering this situation in the medical field, we summed up our business vision for the medical field as the following thought.
"Giving shape to the ideas of doctors, we deliver better medical care to patients by developing products that are truly suitable for the Japanese."
Since then, we have forged ahead, abiding by the two policies of "products designed for the Japanese" and "product development not confined to the common sense of the medical industry.
The development of medical products does not simply consist in miniaturizing Western products. Westerners and Japanese differ not only in the size of their bones, but also in their shapes.
In the early days of the Medical Division, as a way to make products that fit Japanese bones, we sometimes designed then using employees' X-rays for reference. However, it took a lot of trial an error to develop products that truly meet the needs of doctors.
Further, doctors at surgery rooms would sometimes bend surgical plates with dedicated tools in order to make then conform with the actual shapes of the bones of patients. This would place a burden on both the patient and the doctor and cause operations to take a long time.
In response to various suggestions and ideas of the developing doctors regarding shapes, operation times and so on, MEIRA introduced early on and actively used three-dimensional CAD, 3D printers, and state-of-the-art machining equipment. We strive also to improve development efficiency so that the insights of doctors can be quickly translated into products.
For example, using computerized tomography (CT) data, a three-dimensional image of a bone can be created in a computer, and a plate designed with 3D CAD then applied to the bone to confirm virtually that the plate matches well with the bone. Further, using actual-size bone models and plates made with a 3D printer greatly increases the speed and accuracy of verification work with the developing doctors.
The osteosynthesis plates developed in this way have an elegant three-dimensional shape that matches the anatomical bone shape. This saves the time and effort that would have been expended to bend plates in the surgery theater, resulting in shorter operation times. Also, in order to improve treatment outcomes, we are adding functions that help better secure bones.
In this way, we proudly continue MEIRA’s commitment to incorporate the latest technology and equipment in order to deliver ever better products. The fact that we introduced the latest equipment for a price that exceeded our capital at the time when the division was founded illustrates that commitment. This is the frame of mind and culture in which the medical products of the Medical Division are created.
As mentioned above, since 1995, we have been developing and improving orthopedic screws and plate systems as a manufacturer of medical devices.
However, from the viewpoint of the quality of life (QOL) of patients, there are many doctors who are not satisfied with current treatment results and aim to develop and establish new surgical methods.
MEIRA has been giving concrete shape to the passion of doctors, but with regard to new treatment methods, we are not yet able to fully respond to the wishes of doctors who aim to improve the QOL of patients.
Thus we realize that creating products based on the wishes of doctors is a major task for us in the future. Driven by the steady will expressed by "Through the development of products that are truly suitable for Japanese people by implementing the insights of doctors, we deliver better medical care to patients," we strive to further improve the QOL of patients in cooperation with doctors.
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