WASP European's projects: CARMOF
This CARMOF project is a collaborative effort of European industrial and academic partners to design innovative CO2 absorbing materials at nanoscale (such as carbon nanotubes, CNTs, and metal organic frameworks, MOFs) and then to use 3D printer to realize membranes.
The project’s aim is to have a higher technology level to use as demonstration at industrial facilities. It's consortium has 15 partners from 9 different countries that are representing all the value chain. CARMOF project started in January 2018 and will last 48 months, and it has a total budget of about 6 million Euro. The project is funded by the European Commission's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program.
The CARMOF CO2 sorbent and process concept
A CARMOF consortium meeting was held at Vito (Belgium) on June, 2019 11th-12th to discuss the project progress and further planning.
Our first results
The first period has focused on the (hybrid) solid sorbent development for CO2 capture: functionalized Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs), Multi Walled Carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and Reduced Graphene oxide (rGO) combined with a polymer of choice.
Preliminary formulations of 3D printing composite pastes had promising results on the CO2 adsorption capacity. The diffusion paths through the composite are created by the MWCNT's presence. It's believed that it enables gas transport to the active CO2 adsorption sites.
Other materials' combinations are being further explored and 3D printed.
Past events
CARMOF project's results were presented at several relevant events and conferences, such as:
- 1 & 2DM 2019 (January 2019, Tokyo)
- GraphIn2019 (February 2019, Madrid)
- CO2 REUSE 2019 conference (April 2019, Berlin)
- CHEMUK 2019 Expo (May 2019, Harrogate)
- Advanced Nanomaterials Conference 2019 (July 2019, Aveiro)
Application of FDM technology to traditional orthopedics
A case history of 3d printed orthopedic braces
La Milagrosa orthopedics is a Spanish company that is part of the WASP Med network since 2018. Thanks to the close collaboration between Inma López Hita, head of digital design and additive manufacturing, and WASP Med, it was possible to find new solutions for 3d printing in medical application. La Milagrosa works in the world of 3d printed orthopedic braces since many years: it produces solutions for orthopedics using digital manufacturing. WASP 3D printers, in particular our 3D printer Delta WASP 4070 INDUSTRIAL 4.0, made it possible to have big size printings, creating even very large polypropylene pieces.
3d printed orthopedic corset
An important example is the one of 3D printed orthopedic braces in the correction of vertebral dysmorphism produced with FDM technology. The creation of a printed corset provides an innovative process compared to the traditional manufacturing realized with plaster cast. It follows three steps: a quick and easy 3D scanning, a 3D modeling phase with very large possibilities of customization and finally the 3D polypropylene's printing.
It is possible to apply this process not only for the resolution of chronic situations but for bone fractures which, usually, would imply a full limb cast.
3d printed orthopedic brace for femur's fracture
In this case study a brace has been realized to resolve a femur's fracture in a newborn: it is the alternative to an invasive plaster which covers from the belt to the feet. This solution offers a greater mobility, which is essential in the early years of growth.
3d printed orthopedic brace for leg
Another application is when there are external fixators and a cast is not possible: thanks to this support the knee is immobilized and it's possibile to start to place the foot on the ground.
3d printed orthopedic hand devices
The 3D printing opens up new scenarios also on hand devices. It is possible to design ad hoc solutions for the individual patient who had interventions on nerves or for cysts removal. With these devices fingers could drive with a gradual use of the force to regain mobility. The components are lightweight, minimally invasive and aesthetically interesting.
3d printed orthopedic hand devices for kid
In all the situations, in addition to the benefit for the patient, it is always evident the advantage of digital fabrication technology in terms of process: scanning is immediate and minimally invasive, modeling is highly customizable and there are no materials to be disposed of.
3d printer for orthopedic braces
3d printed orthopedic braces with Delta WASP 4070 INDUSTRIAL 4.0 reduces costs and returns a robust and reliable finished product, a guarantee given by the characteristics of the machine and by certified materials.
WASP MED developed an Add-on for Blender 2.8
The open-source 3D software for P&O now exists
In this contemporary scenario of a global population growing more and more health care is going to be one of the main challenges of our future: according to 2018 GDR research, the global prosthetics and orthotics market size is expected to reach USD 12.28 billion by 2025.
WASP for the Healthcare
Since the beginning WASP considers health one of its main themes of research, as one of the man’s basic needs. For this reason in 2015 WASP MED team was born, working specifically on the needs of this huge field. The development of the 3D printers and materials for medical use it’s not enough if doctors and professionals don’t have tools to apply their knowledge. To face this need WASP MED developed an Add-on for Blender, the popular open-source 3D software: WASP MED Add-on Blender 2.8.
The idea is to fill that gap between professional software, often very expensive and rigid, and open-source software, which are powerful but not specifically designed for medical use. The development has been carried out by Prof. Alessandro Zomparelli, teacher at Accademia di Belle Arti di Bologna and Blender developer since years. His previous works on shaping objects based on the human body has been the key to get a powerful tool for designing easily complex shapes on 3D scans.
Why Blender?
Blender is a perfect manifesto of an open-source platform that escalated to be one of the best products for 3D modeling in the world of animation and not only. Each year in Amsterdam is organized a Blender Conference. Here the most innovative applications of the software are presented and shared: from physical simulations to medical tools, covering a wide range of professional and non-professional uses. Blender 2.8 is an open-source software: it is downloadable for free and its development is shared with hundreds of users around the globe.
What’s WASP MED Add-on Blender 2.8?
It’s a free Add-on that runs on Blender 2.8 and contains step-by-step commands to model a shape on a 3D scan. The final shape is suitable for being 3D printed, compatible with the 3D printer.
The Add-on feature tools for:
- fixing the scan
- making corrections and modifications
- cropping undesired parts
- drawing the shape of the orthoses
- managing thicknesses and borders
- exporting the mesh for 3D printing
The Add-on also gives freedom of intervention with all native Blender tools to solve more complex necessities.
The future of the Add-on
WASP imagines this as a first step to create a collaborative community around the world using open tools to give solution to main health themes. This could give access to a huge amount of the world’s population to medical devices that now cannot afford or don’t even exist in their country.
The 3D printer for Orthopedy
In the medical sector, innovation is the key to advance the health care. WASP MED for years has worked not only to the development of this new open source 3D modeling software, but also to design and build customizable 3D printers for the orthopedic sector. The DELTA WASP 4070 Industrial 4.0 printer is the most performing printer model, adaptable to the professionals individual’s needs for the development of medical devices.
