Lelio Leoncini of WASP Med team recounts the 3D Orthopedics
Scoliosis is the black beast of Orthopedics. 3D Printing permits to make great strides to perfect the current method of acquisition and production, offering a better cure for the body dysmorphia.
Lelio Leoncini, Surgeon specialized in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, is fully convinced about this and since December 2014 he has been working with a Delta WASP 4070, experimenting orthopedic corsets.
As is known, corsets are the only one way scientifically-proven to cure vertebral dysmorphia. "First of all I looked for an instrument (Rasterstereografia-Formetric 3D) that permits to constantly supervise without X-ray examinations the evolution of scoliosis - says Lelio - This experience made me able to identify the critical points of orthopedic corsets and their effectiveness, and it was an incentive to search for new technological solutions".
Which advantages we can find using a CAD-CAM System and 3D printing compared with the current method with a plaster cast?
CAD-CAM acquisitions: low costs infrared sensors; simultaneous acquisition of all the torso in half a second with the possibility to make corrections in this phase; possibility to work in the dark; acquisition space reduction; a more accurate system with the possibility to better control corrective actions; modeling in 30 minutes; disposal of plaster cast.
3D Printing: no waste and possibility for recycle corsets; the possibility to post-modeling corsets; low costs; low weight; elimination or reduction of armors; to improve the aesthetic quality.
"Corsets have to be accurate for a good therapy - says Leoncini - It's indispensable to know the biomechanics of the rachis and corrective principles of the Torso orthoses. The synergy between the Medical Doctor and the Orthopedist is necessary (...) and also the digitalization of the orthopedic workshops".
Lelio is sure that the medical environment needs always a technology implementation. "I've always been interested in technology. (...) Medicine is a science and (...) there is always the possibility to develop. The innovation is the right instrument to cut down barriers and give opportunities to disadvantaged people".
WASP launches the new professional clay extruder
WASP LAUNCHES THE FIRST PROFESSIONAL EXTRUDER FOR CERAMIC MATERIALS ADAPTABLE TO OTHERS 3D PRINTER
LDM (liquid deposit modeling) Wasp Extruder is the name of the new extruder for ceramic materials that can be adapted to most of the 3D printers on the market.
WASP’s work has always been focused on the development of systems that allow the use of functional materials like ceramics, porcelain, clay, alumine, zirconium and advanced ceramics, in order to promote digital handicraft and self-production. By launching this new product the group aims to promote the print of fluid-dense materials and advanced ceramics in the world.
In two years of time and after experimenting all the possible combinations of pressure, nozzles and materials WASP has created a model of extruder which is able to interrupt and restart the extrusion flow.
The new LDM Wasp Extruder can reach a level of precision which is very close to that of plastic polymers extruders thanks to the combination of a screw extruder and a pressure extruder. With this technology it is possible to control with accuracy the flow of material and also to use retraction to interrupt deposition.
Innovation:
-Bubble eliminating extruder, it eliminates air bubbles in the mixture
-Extrusion controlling system with retraction option
-Outward pressure multiplier until 40 bar in the screw extruder
The new WASP Clay Kit includes a 3 kg tank, which can be substituted with a 15 kg one, on demand. The preceding needle experimental models did not allow middle size printing because of the limited amount of mixture they could contain. The tank can be refilled or cleaned simply by opening the caps located at the extremes. Inside, there is a piston with two 4 bar gaskets which pushes the material through the teflon pipe (diameter 12mm) which supplies the extruder. The cap located on the back has a safety valve set at 8 bar.
On the stand of the tank there is a pressure regulator and a return preventing valve. Inside the chamber, the material is funneled toward a screw which pushes it out producing a pressure of 40 bar without damaging the system. It would be impossible to reach such a pressure level with a common pressure extruder. This technology allows the air to outflow upward , eliminating the probability of finding bubbles inside the mixture. Like for a common pressure extruder, if there were bubbles the flow would be interrupted and the print would be damaged. Furthermore, thanks to the screw, the density of the printing materials is higher. This allows to reduce the time for their change of state, from liquid to solid, thus eliminating the risk of collapse of the printed object. In case the screw or the chamber were damaged they can be easily substituted.
Adaptability to other machines
The set was created to be installed on WASP printers, but can be adapted to most of the existing machines. It is very easy to install LDM Wasp Extruder on other machines. Firstly, it is necessary to print the supporting cover (the source files are provided by WASP). Secondly, the extruder must be linked to the wire and the “number of steps per millimeter” must be set to 400.
This configurations are provided by the most common slicing softwares, like Slic3r or Cura.
Clay 3D printing: ceramic pieces realized by Delta WASP 2040
A prosthetic hand with a Delta WASP 2040
A very simple prosthesis projected for people who has lost fingers or a piece of palm, realized with a Delta WASP 2040 by Enrico Perrucci (Cosmo3D). He belongs to the Enable Community Fundation, an American Community dedicated to 3D printing for customized, low costs prosthesis free of charge. Perrucci is now working on an Assembly Kit to educate children into schools to understand disability.
For more information here.
Delta WASP is on the podium of hubs.com
Hubs.com published the Highest Rated Desktop 3D Printer rank and Delta WASP is in second place with 4,81 points out of 5. Quality, precision, speed.
We make a toast with Sangiovese wine :)
Thanks to all the Waspers around the world!
Read the article--> hubs.com
Delta WASP 60100 - Big sizes
Delta WASP 60100 Stampante 3D italiana di grandi dimensioni
Delta WASP 60100 designed and developed within the WASP laboratories.
It belongs to the group of the largest 3D printer in the world with FFF technology.
With a height of 250 cm and a width of 117cm with base has an area of 600 mm for a height of 1000 mm, completely usable .
Derives from a specific request and there has been commissioned to special needs of " size " , this machine is indispensable for the realization of very large objects .
Become part of our Delta Family and found today on the wasp shop!
Alcune foto:
Bruno e un'oggetto stampato 3d di grandi dimensioni con Delta WASP 60100
Nicola e un'oggetto stampato 3d di grandi dimensioni con Delta WASP 60100
Andrea e il Delta WASP 60100 a stampa terminata