Medical News Today -- Gone are the days of having to compromise on surgeons’ demands because of the limitations associated with metal processing: Laser melting has abolished production-related restrictions on surgical instruments. The technique permits customized tools to be manufactured in a single step and also allows the integration of additional new functions such as RFID. Researchers from the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft will be exhibiting a surgical instrument with an integrated electronic chip at this year’s MEDTEC Europe trade show in Stuttgart.