Belgi▓um-based Materialise NV, one of the world’s largest 3D printing software and services providers, are cooperating on the philanthropic initiative.Global leader: pediatric heart careJi Qingying, deputy d▓irector of Shanghai Children's Medical Center, said the hospital conducts over 3
,700 heart operations on chil▓dren, ranking it number one among t▓he world’s medical institutions.On av▓erage, families pay in the range - RMB80,000-100,000 (US$11,600-14,500) for a heart operation. But 3D printing can reduce costs.Meanwhile, the Chin▓a-Belgium charity project is expected to offer 15 to 20 l▓ifesaving heart surgeries per year, free of charge.Additionally, 3D printing is going mainstream an▓d research firm International Da