Application of rapid manufacturing technologies to integrated product development in clinics and medical manufacturing industries

Abstract

This study examines the possible application of reverse engineering and rapid prototyping technologies to the manufacture of customized implants from scanned anatomical images. This thesis is composed of five chapters. The first chapter provides a brief overview of the rapid prototyping technologies, statement of the problem, purpose of this research and the question this research seeks to answer. The second chapter is concerned with reverse engineering in relation to the medical field. It describes ways in which anatomical images can be obtained from a patient. It also highlights the file format that is required for rapid prototyping processes. The third chapter discusses the FDM processes that were selected for this research, the materials that are biocompatible for the manufacture of implants and the general process in RE and RP technologies. Chapter four shows the processes that scanned anatomical images should go through so that they can be 3D printed using applicable software with Z Corp and MakerBot printers. It demonstrates the step-by-step method of converting a scanned image into a CAM file that can be 3D printed. Chapter five discusses the outcome of the research and the conclusions drawn. Further research recommendations are outlined in this chapter.