Rapid Prototyping Technologies: 3D Printing Applied in Medicine

Abstract

Three-dimensional printing technology has been used for more than three decades in many industries, including the automotive and aerospace industries. So far, the use of this technology in medicine has been limited only to 3D printing of anatomical models for educational and training purposes, which is due to the insufficient functional properties of the materials used in the process. Only recent advances in the development of innovative materials have resulted in the flourishing of the use of 3D printing in medicine and pharmacy. Currently, additive manufacturing technology is widely used in clinical fields. Rapid development can be observed in the design of implants and prostheses, the creation of biomedical models tailored to the needs of the patient and the bioprinting of tissues and living scaffolds for regenerative medicine. The purpose of this review is to characterize the most popular 3D printing techniques.

Effect of shells number and machining on selected properties of 3D-printed PLA samples

“…These technologies first appeared in the second half of the 20 th century, and their rapid development occurred in the early 21 st century. Over this time, they have been implemented in industries as diverse as medicine [2], mechanics [3], engineering, and art and architecture. The main advantage of additive technologies is the ability to use a wide range of materials, such as metals, ceramic powders, polymers, as well as resins and waxes [4].…”

Enhancing Mechanical and Thermal Properties of 3D-Printed Samples Using Mica-Epoxy Acrylate Resin Composites—Via Digital Light Processing (DLP)

“…This constructive collaboration not only improves the overall mechanical performance but also opens avenues for applications in industries requiring robust materials, such as automotive components, aerospace structures, and advanced engineering materials. The use of mica in epoxy resins during vat polymerization has the potential to elevate material properties, offering a promising pathway for developing high-performance composite materials across diverse industrial applications [ 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 ].…”

Polymer materials to produce wrist-hand orthoses using the additive method

“…Additive technologies have been developing at a rapid pace since the 1970s and have applications in industries such as electronics, automotive, architecture, industry, aeronautics, medicine, culture, and art. Recently, additive manufacturing has become increasingly important in medicine and pharmacy [1]. In pharmacy it enables the creation of new drug delivery systems [2][3][4], and in medicine is being used in tissue engineering [5,6], cardiology [7], dentistry [8], prosthetics [9], neurology [10], orthopaedics [11], to produce precision surgical instruments [12], implants [13], medical devices [14] and anatomical structure models [15].…”

“…PLAbased composites with colloidal silica, hydroxyapatite, bentonite, polyethylene grafted with maleic anhydride additives have also been obtained, these modifiers significantly improved mechanical properties but caused a decrease in PLA elasticity [18]. In numerous medical applications, including tissue engineering or regenerative medicine, cardiovascular implants, dental niches, drug carriers, orthopaedic treatments, cancer therapy, 1) Kielce University of Technology, Faculty of Mechatronics and Mechanical Engineering, Tysiaclecia Państwa Polskiego 7 Ave., 25-314 Kielce, Poland. * ) The material contained in the article was presented at the VI Scientific Conference on "Szybkie Prototypowanie, Druk 3D&4D w zastosowaniach inżynierskich", September 14-15, 2023, Warsaw, Poland.…”