A selection of stereolithography, laser sintering, and CNC milling models
What is Rapid Prototyping?
Rapid prototyping is a term for layer manufacturing techniques, "rapid" referring to the fact that these techniques allow for rather quick production of prototypes in e.g. motor construction. However, in clinical application the term "prototyping" is rather misleading since the models being produced show an actual anatomical situation and thus are not exactly prototypes.
Layer manufacturing techniques, such as stereolithograpy, laminated object manufacture, etc. are employed to produce models from three-dimensional computer data (i.e. volumetric data).
The first commercial use of such a technique has been presented in 1987 by 3D Systems, Inc, at the AUTOFACT show in Detroit, USA, and nowadays rapid prototyping is applied not only in industry but also in medicine.
We employ rapid prototyping for model production since 1991. Starting with CNC milling, we also use stereolithography since 1995, and we have employed selective laser sintering for evaluation purposes.
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Rapid prototyping:
A selection of stereolithography, laser sintering, and CNC milling models |
The purpose of rapid prototyping in medicine is to provide the surgeon with a means to plan (and practice) surgery in advance.
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