Multi-Material Additive Fabrication of Body Part Models from Tomography
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for fabricating three-dimensional models of body parts from tomography data lose information about variations in mechanical properties and gradual transitions between tissues, leading to inaccurate representations.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that translates tomography data into printable bitmap images using multi-material additive manufacturing, defining material compositions on a voxel basis to replicate mechanical properties and gradual transitions, without requiring a CAD system, and using lookup tables to correlate voxel values with material combinations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If STL file format is used to represent three-dimensional object geometry, then the model can be read by AM devices, but information about variations in color, texture and mechanical properties within the volume is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the data representation parameters from surface-only STL format to volumetric voxel-based format with associated property values. Each voxel stores not only geometric information but also mechanical properties, color, and texture data, transforming the parameter structure to preserve volumetric information while maintaining AM device compatibility through bitmap image output.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite data structures where each voxel position contains multiple property dimensions (geometric coordinates, mechanical properties, color information, texture data). This composite approach allows simultaneous representation of varied material properties within the volume without losing information during the translation from DICOM to AM-compatible format.
2Manufacturing precision
If multi-material combinations are used to replicate tissue variations, then mechanical properties are more accurately represented, but computational resources and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the body part model into individual voxels, each assigned specific material combinations based on their mechanical property requirements. This segmentation allows precise control of material distribution while enabling parallel processing during fabrication, as each voxel can be independently processed according to its material assignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary material assignment and combination planning during the digital model preparation phase, creating a complete material distribution map before physical fabrication begins. This preliminary action optimizes the fabrication process by pre-calculating all material placement requirements, reducing real-time computational demands during actual printing.
3Manufacturing precision
If voxel-based material composition is used to mimic tissue variations, then gradual transitions between tissues are preserved, but data processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a digital copy of the original DICOM volumetric data in voxel-based bitmap format, preserving the gradual transitions and spatial variations of tissue properties. This copying approach maintains the continuous nature of tissue variations while simplifying data handling through standardized image format structures that are easier to process than raw medical imaging data.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for physically reconstructing a body part using multi-material additive manufacturing includes receiving image data of the body part in the form of arrays of voxels, each array of voxels representing image data pertaining to cross-section of the body part, translating the image data in the arrays of voxels to printable bitmap images representing combinations of modeling materials for reconstructing the body part, and dispensing the combinations of modeling materials responsive to the bitmap images in a layerwise manner.