2002 (Backfills for previous years) / DB reference years
PREV and NEXT link to numerically adjacent references for this DATABASE UPDATE.
CONTENTS links to the title list for this UPDATE's references.
Author Andy Christensen, Medical Modeling Corporation, 17301 West Colfax Avenue, #300, Golden, CO 80401 USA; Tel 303-273-5344; Fax 303-277-9472 andy@medicalmodeling.com
Source Rapid Prototyping & Manufacturing 2000
Abstract Anatomical models (i.e., biomodels) of individual patient bone structure have been produced using traditional rapid prototyping techniques for almost ten years now. SLA, FDM and SLS have all played a role in this industry, although SLA eventually took over the anatomical modeling market as the leader worldwide. The relatively new concept modeler introduction has influenced the rapid prototyping market and is doing the same in the medical sector. Price and speed have been the major forces behind the move for more private companies to jump into concept modeling for their own prototyping needs. The market for anatomical models operates quite different in that the customers, doctors and hospitals will not consider producing models themselves and will for the foreseeable future rely on the service bureau to provide this service. With the current state of the healthcare industry, the trend is cheaper, faster and even more cheaper. Anatomical models produced using SLA, FDM and SLS currently cost anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000, depending on the bureau and the size of the model. This is still seen by most in the industry to be too high for many surgical procedures and too high to make modeling "commonplace." With this important factor guiding all that a medical service bureau does, cost has forced the issue of concept modeling. Factors to be discussed include the different types of concept modelers, accuracy, cost and speed issues. XX