Printing technique question

Hi,

I'd like to ask your opininons about how I can achieve what I am trying to do. It is not related directly to a technical printing parameter but a method related question.

We are planning a study on living-related liver donor candidates, who are about to be operated. What we want to realise is to print the liver vasculature, which is segmented from CT scans, in a transparent shell mimicking the liver. It is very important to preserve the spatial relationship of the vessels between themselves and also the vessels and the liver capsule.

Segmenting the vessels and the contour of the liver, while time consuming, is not the biggest issue here. The relationship between the vessles can also be preserved using Meshmixer to create small rod like structures between a few of them. These structures can be painted in different colors, so that the rods are not mistaken for vessels. The real problems are how to achieve transparency and how to preserve the spatial relationship between the capsule and the vessels.

As we cannot print optically clear materials with FDM printers (well I know we can, I have seen Tom's video and tried to use some transparent materials with XTC 3D but I don't see how a very complex object can be printed with these techniques), we have to use some molding technique. We can use trasparent silicone or polyurethanes, or syntethic gelatine to create transparent objects but some problems remain: How can we preserve the relationship of the vessels with that mold? The liver is too big to fit in a 200x200 mm bed, so it will also need to be cut in smaller pieces, which complicates the problem more.

Any suggestions?

... comercial printers can print in transparent or "mixed" materials and colours - remember some related infos from Keyence:
[www.keyence.de]

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Viktor
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Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]

Hi Viktor. Thanks for the cmments and the link. I know that fact. I have seen some prints from high end poljet printers however I don't have any means to acquire this kind of printer. Even if I could, the material cost is so high that it wouldn't be sustainable. I am trying to find a cheaper alternative using FDM printers and other techniques.

... I've recently started a funded R&D-project for "laser-assisted additive fabbing" with different materials - one of the branches will handle plastic and glass wires with different diameters and colours.

With this "printing" of transparent plastic or glass wires will be an option too -- but the "target price" of the complete system would be above the common DIY-range ... I'll expect around 15k€ for a complete machine or at least 3k€ for the first tool-heads only ... main part of the costs is the specific laser-source for the selected material

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Viktor
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Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]