Digital fabrication of multi-material biomedical objects

This paper describes a multi-material virtual prototyping (MMVP) system for modelling and digital fabrication of discrete and functionally graded multi-material objects for biomedical applications. The MMVP system consists of a DMMVP module, an FGMVP module and a virtual reality (VR) simulation module. The DMMVP module is used to model discrete multi-material (DMM) objects, while the FGMVP module is for functionally graded multi-material (FGM) objects. The VR simulation module integrates these two modules to perform digital fabrication of multi-material objects, which can be subsequently visualized and analysed in a virtual environment to optimize MMLM processes for fabrication of product prototypes. Using the MMVP system, two biomedical objects, including a DMM human spine and an FGM intervertebral disc spacer are modelled and digitally fabricated for visualization and analysis in a VR environment. These studies show that the MMVP system is a practical tool for modelling, visualization, and subsequent fabrication of biomedical objects of discrete and functionally graded multi-materials for biomedical applications. The system may be adapted to control MMLM machines with appropriate hardware for physical fabrication of biomedical objects.postprin

The characteristics of the CAT to CAD to rapid prototyping system

ThesisComputer Aided Design (CAD), Rapid Prototyping (RP) and Computer Aided Tomography (CAT) technologies were researched. The project entails a unique combination of the abovementioned technologies, which had to be mastered by the author, on local and international terms. Nine software packages were evaluated to determine the modus operandi, required input and final output results. Fifty Rapid Prototyping systems were investigated to determine the strong and weak areas of the various systems, which showed that prototype materials, machine cost and growing time play an essential role. Thirty Reverse Engineering systems were also researched. Six different RE methods were recorded with several commercial systems available. Nineteen case studies were completed by using several different Computer Aided Tomography (CAT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) centers. Each scanning centre has different apparatus and is discussed in detail in the various case studies. The focus of this project is the data transfer of two dimensional CAT scanning data to threedimensional prototypes by using Reverse Engineering (RE) and Rapid Prototyping (RP). It is therefore of cardinal importance that one is familiar and understands the various fields of interest namely Reverse Engineering, Computer Aided Tomography and Rapid Prototyping. Each of these fields will be discussed in detail, with the latest developments in these fields covered as well. Case studies and research performed in the medical field should gain the medical industry's confidence. Constant marketing and publications will ensure that the technology is applied and transferred to the industry. Commercialisation of the technology is of utmost importanc