Robot is star turn of new medical centre in Wales

The factory floor and the operating theatre may seem worlds apart but, in reality, these two outwardly different environments face many common challenges. Both are time-pressured, often high-volume environments that rely on exacting precision, tight tolerances, repeatability and high levels of technical expertise.

And as manufacturing technology becomes ever more sophisticated, the developments driven by the insatiable demands of industry are increasingly finding application in the medical arena.

One company at the forefront of this fascinating crossover is Gloucestershire engineering firm Renishaw, which has exploited the know-how developed by its core manufacturing technology business, to establish a growing and successful presence in the healthcare technology sector.

Renishaw first entered the world of healthcare in the late 1980s, when it began using its measurement and scanning expertise to design and develop custom dental implants – an area of business that’s expanded over the following decades.

But while its dental work remains perhaps the best-known part of the firm’s medical division, it now boasts a much wider medical offering: including world-leading expertise in the production of bespoke implants, and a robotic system for neurosurgeons that’s helping to revolutionise the treatment and diagnosis of a range of conditions.