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Updated: May 17, 2026
Rapid and Low-cost Prototyping of Medical Devices Using 3D Printed Molds for Liquid Injection Molding
Published on: June 27, 2014
[The use of CAD/CAM and rapid fabrication technologies in prosthesis and orthotics manufacturing]
1Departamentul de Stiinţe biomedicale, Facultatea de Bioinginerie Medicală, Universitatea de Medicină şi Farmacie "Grigore T. Popa" Iaşi.
Unlabelled:
Modern CAD/CAM and rapid fabrication technologies used in the prosthesis and orthotics manufacturing are based on 3D scanning, 3D reconstruction and computer aided fabrication.
Aim:
Paper approaches a study on the manufacture of customised orthosis (foot insole) through CAD/CAM and rapid fabrication technologies, using most economical devices and software available in Romania.
Material And Methods:
Paper describes a method used in the data acquisition, reconstruction and fabrication of a foot insole made of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). Data acquisition is accomplished using non contact 3D scanner with structured light. Structured-light 3D scanner is a device for scanning the three dimensional shape of an anatomical surface using projected light patterns and a camera system. All working steps from 3D scanning to computer aided fabrication of the foot insole through rapid ptototyping are described. Peculiar attention has been given to the image processing steps from 3D reconstruction to the final 3D CAD modelling of the foot insole.
Results:
The approached method showed a good accuracy in scanning of anatomic surfaces and in speeding up fabrication of leg orthosis. The 3D printer was able to build durable ABS thermoplastic insoles without post treatment.
Conclusions:
Approached fabrication method showed the advantages of manufacturing of orthosis and prosthesis components through CAD/CAM and Rapid Fabrication technologies. New prosthetic laboratories may be equipped with Rapid Fabrication technologies like 3D scanners and 3D printers.
