Designing thousands of 3D-printed twins.
BIOMODEX develops anatomical twins to help scientists and physicians such as Dr. Pereira with patient-specific training and rehearsal. The goal is to produce models with a look, feel and experience that is true to what a doctor will encounter during a real procedure on a real patient.
The company uses multiple Stratasys J750™ printers and PolyJet™ materials to ensure the dimensional accuracy and mechanical behavior of the original anatomy. Exact down to the microscopic level, the models are paired with a portable simulation station that injects liquids to recreate blood flow.
“The material mix has to be accurate,” said Stéphane Caporusso, global VP of Operations for BIOMODEX. “Precision is critical so the training or rehearsal is as close to real as possible.”
While the use of models for medical training isn’t necessarily new, time has been a limiting factor. Historically, they’ve taken months to create — not a practical option when patients require rapid intervention. The BIOMODEX difference is using 3D printers for higher-volume, but extremely detailed production. The Stratasys printers run for 15 hours a day, every day, producing up to 3,000 models per year, per machine.
Because of the capability of the 3D printers and utility of the materials, the turnaround time from medical imaging to delivery of an anatomical twin is just a few days.
