Such a process is useful for a range of medical devices, including hip replacements, prostheses, catheters, and even diagnostic equipment. The 3-D printer deposits plastic droplets in layers to produce a model of the device. Photo courtesy of BPM Technology. Designed to be a computer peripheral, 3-D object printers are similar to standard laser printers. No special training is necessary to use them.
Users can scale or reorient the image, if needed.
The printer produces a scaled object that fits within 10 x 8 x 6 in. Many devices cannot be printed actual size. Devices that are larger than the build envelope can be scaled. Objects can be constructed as hatch-fill or as a shell. Shell versions are usually produced for visual design verification only because they are not as durable as solid versions.