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Traditional standard bone substitutes cannot realize the individualized matching for the bones of different patients. In order to make a bone substitute match the shape of a patient's bone easily, a technology based on reverse engineering (RE) and rapid prototyping (RP) is put forward to design and fabricate a customized bone substitute. By RE, the customized bone substitute is designed according to the CT sectional pictures, and the customized localizer is designed to locate the customized bone substitute in the patient's body at the right position. A customized mandible substitute designed and fabricated by RE and RP has been put into clinical use and is discussed in detail. The results confirm that the advantage of RP in the field of bone restoration is that it can fabricate the customized bone substitute rapidly and accurately.

This paper describes computer‐aided design (CAD) and rapid prototyping (RP) systems for the fabrication of maxillofacial implant.

Design methods for medical RP of custom‐fabricated are presented in this paper. Helical computed tomography (CT) data were used to create a three‐dimensional model of the patient skull. Based on these data, the individual shape of the implant was designed in CAD environment and fabricate by RP process. One patient with a large mandible defect underwent reconstruction with individual prefabricated implant resulting from initial surgical failure with hand contoured reconstruction plate.

Results shows that the custom made implant fit well the defect. Overall, excellent mandible symmetry and stability were achieved with the custom made implants. The patient was able to eat. There was no saliva drooling after the reconstruction. The operating time was reduced.

The methods described above suffer from the expensive cost of RP technique.

This method allows accurate fabrication of the implant. The advantages of using this technique are that the physical model of the implant is fitted on the skull model so that the surgeon can plan and rehearse the surgery in advance and a less invasive surgical procedure and less time‐consuming reconstructive and an adequate esthetic can result.

The method improves the reconstructive surgery and reduces the risk of a second intervention, and the psychological stress of the patient will be eliminated.

The formulated proposals for this legal principle in the trade battern of the European Community have again appeared in the EEC draft Directive. It has been many years in coming, indicating the extreme difficulties encountered in bringing some sort of harmony in the different laws of Member‐states including those of the United Kingdom, relating to the subject. Over the years there were periods of what appeared to be complete inactivity, when no progress was being made, when consultations were at a stand‐still, but the situation was closely monitored by manufacturers of goods, including food and drink, in the UK and the BFJ published fairly detailed reviews of proposals being considered — in 1979 and 1981; and even as recently as the last few months — in “Consumerism in the Community”, the subject was briefly discussed.

The purpose of this paper is to describe key factors in sustaining effective business value chains for companies operating in the electronic industry and identify their potential future challenges.

The research methodology includes the survey development, the hypothesis development, and the statistical analyses, especially the Pearson correlation. Altogether, a total of 129 firms participated in this study – 97 companies from Hong Kong/China and 32 firms from Thailand. Included in this methodology are a pre‐test of a survey, a development of the research hypotheses, and follow‐up discussions with participating executives on possible future challenges for their business value chains.

An effective business value chain essentially depends on a good internal operational system and constructive relationships with suppliers and customers. In other words, the collective efficacy depends on a manufacturer's internal operations (IO) and its supplier and customer partnership. Owing to the extensive information and communication technology (ICT) applications, the concern relating to schedule nervousness has been greatly reduced.

The key future challenges for an electronic manufacturer's business value chains are ICT standardization (i.e. data harmonization) for better sharing and transfer with both customers and suppliers and within a manufacturer's IO, and risk management.

The findings underline the importance of data harmonization and an adaptation of ICT standards such as control objectives for information and related technology and projects in controlled environment for managing design and deployment of ICT projects and their related risks.

This paper aims to develop 3D-printed customized padding to increase pressure at the zero pressure region. This padding is specifically intended for facial areas with complex contours in pressure therapy treatment of hypertrophic scars.

To carry out this study, a full-face head garment was fabricated by a local occupational therapist, and pressure measurements were conducted to establish the pressure exerted by this head garment and to determine the zero pressure region. Furthermore, an additional manufacturing method was used to construct customized padding, and pressure measurements were performed to measure the pressure exerted after application of this customized padding.

The results reveal that 3D-printed customized padding can increase pressure at the zero pressure region, which occurs on complex contour surfaces with a spatial gap because of non-contact of the head garment and facial surfaces.

This paper suggests that an additive manufacturing method using 3D printing is capable of producing accurate, functional and low-cost medical parts for rehabilitation. Moreover, the 3D-printed padding fabricated by additive manufacturing assists in generating optimal pressure, which is necessary for effective pressure therapy.

Digital design using 3D scanning, computer-aided design and 3D printing is capable of designing and producing properly fitting, customized padding that functions to increase pressure from zero to an acceptable pressure range required for pressure therapy.

To develop a computer‐assisted prefabricated implant design and manufacturing system to improve the esthetic outcome in chin surgery.

Design methods for medical rapid prototyping (RP) of custom‐fabricated chin augmentation implant are presented in this paper. After a careful preoperative planning based on cephalometric tracing for esthetic assessment, helical computed tomography data were used to create a three‐dimensional model of the deficient mandible. Based on these data, the inner surface of the prosthesis was designed to fit the bone surface exactly. The outer geometry was generated from a dried human mandible to create anatomically correct shape prosthesis. The inner and outer surfaces were then connected, and a solid model resulted. A RP system was used for production of the physical models. The surgical planning was performed using the implants and skull models. The resulting SLA implant is used for the production of a mold, which is used to cast the titanium part. Three patients with a congenital small chin or a small and asymmetric mandible underwent reconstruction with individual prefabricated implant. Mean follow‐up period was 1.5 years.

This approach showed significant results in chin augmentation. Compared with traditional methods, the intra‐operative fit was excellent. The operating time was reduced. Postoperatively, the patients experienced the restoration of a natural chin contour, so the esthetic outcome was pleasing. Over the mean follow‐up period of 1.5 years, there were no complications and no implant had to be removed. Long‐term excellent esthetic outcomes by using this new technique have recently been reported.

The methods described above suffer from certain limitations. The registration of the mandible template to create the augmentation image requires high skills of the designer. In addition, the use of RP model in preoperative preparation is expensive.

This method not only demonstrates the significant progress in the reconstruction of chin defects using CAD/CAM RP and RT, compared with the conventional methods of chin augmentation surgery, but also provides natural geometrical prosthesis contour design and accurate fabrication and precise fitting of the prosthesis. The advantages of using this technique are that the physical model of the implant is fitted on the skull model so that the surgeon can plan and rehearse the surgery in advance and a less invasive surgical procedure and less time‐consuming reconstructive and an adequate esthetic can result.

This clinical case demonstrated the potential value of CAD/CAM and RP‐based custom fitted and anatomically correct shape prosthesis fabrication and presurgical planning in craniofacial surgery.

The aim of this paper is to present the main results of a research project finished in 2008 which concerned the selective laser melted (SLM) prototype of a new kind of minimally invasive resurfacing hip arthroplasty (RHA) endoprosthesis with the original multi‐spiked connecting scaffold (MSC‐Scaffold). Previous attempts performed in pre‐Direct Metal Manufacturing (DMM) era demonstrated that it was impossible to manufacture suitable prototypes of this RHA endoprosthesis (especially of the MSC‐Scaffold) using traditional machining technologies. Owing to an extensive development of DMM technologies observed in recent years the manufacturing of such prototypes has become possible.

Computer aided design models of pre‐prototypes and the prototype of the RHA endoprosthesis with MSC‐Scaffold were designed and initially optimized within the claims and the general assumptions of international patents by Rogala. Prototyping in SLM technology was subcontracted to SLM Tech Center (Paderborn, Germany). Macroscopic and SEM microscopic evaluation of the MSC‐Scaffold was performed using SLM manufactured prototypes and paying special attention to the quality and precision of manufacturing.

It was found that SLM can be successfully applied to manufacturing of prototypes of the original minimally invasive RHA endoprosthesis. The manufacturing quality of the 3D spikes system of the MSC‐Scaffold, which mimics the interdigitations of articular subchondral bone, has been proved to be geometrically corresponding to the biological original. Nevertheless, some pores and non‐melted zones were found in SLM prototyped RHA endoprosthesis cross‐sections which need to be eliminated to minimize the potential risk of clinical failure.

The presented case study was performed with a limited number of samples. More research needs to be performed on the rapid prototyped samples including microstructural and mechanical tests. The results may enable the optimization of the SLM manufacturing process of the prototypes of the minimally invasive RHA endoprosthesis with MSC‐Scaffold.

The SLM can be considered as potentially suitable for the fabrication of patient‐fitted minimally invasive RHA endoprostheses with MSC‐Scaffold.

For the first time, largely owing to SLM technology, it was possible to manufacture the prototype of the original minimally invasive RHA endoprosthesis with MSC‐Scaffold suitable for further research.

The purpose of this paper is to describe two different approaches for manufacturing pre-formed titanium meshes to assist prosthetically guided bone regeneration of atrophic maxillary arches. Both methods are based on the use of additive manufacturing (AM) technologies and aim to limit at the minimal intervention the bone reconstructive surgery by virtual planning the surgical intervention for dental implants placement.

Two patients with atrophic maxillary arches were scheduled for bone augmentation using pre-formed titanium mesh with particulate autogenous bone graft and alloplastic material. The complete workflow consists of four steps: three-dimensional (3D) acquisition of medical images and virtual planning, 3D modelling and design of the bone augmentation volume, manufacturing of biomodels and pre-formed meshes, clinical procedure and follow up. For what concerns the AM, fused deposition modelling (FDM) and direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) were used.

For both patients, a post-operative control CT examination was scheduled to evaluate the progression of the regenerative process and verify the availability of an adequate amount of bone before the surgical intervention for dental implants placement. In both cases, the regenerated bone was sufficient to fix the implants in the planned position, improving the intervention quality and reducing the intervention time during surgery.

A comparison between two novel methods, involving AM technologies are presented as viable and reproducible methods to assist the correct bone augmentation of atrophic patients, prior to implant placement for the final implant supported prosthetic rehabilitation.