Case Study: NuVasive achieves innovative 3D-printed spinal implants and faster time-to-market with Autodesk

Additive Manufacturing Sets the Stage for Innovative Spinal Implants

NuVasive, a San Diego–based developer of minimally disruptive spinal procedures and implants (notably XLIF), needed to rethink interbody implant design to take full advantage of additive manufacturing—creating porous, topology‑optimized titanium implants that encourage bone growth, reduce material, match bone stiffness, and remain competitive. Existing tools couldn’t design the complex lattices or predict stiffness and strength across many low‑volume sizes, so NuVasive turned to Autodesk and its solutions: Autodesk Within Medical, Autodesk Netfabb, and Autodesk Nastran, plus Autodesk’s Advanced Consulting services.

Autodesk delivered a combined solution—Within Medical for porous and lattice design, Netfabb for build optimization and AM simulation, Nastran for high‑resolution FEA, and Advanced Consulting to integrate and scale the workflow. The collaboration produced topology‑optimized Modulus XLIF implants, enabled repeatable production across families with up to 100 sizes, improved stiffness prediction and strength consistency, and accelerated speed to market—helping NuVasive streamline development and move toward better patient outcomes.

NuVasive

Jesse Unger

Development Engineer