3D Systems is deeply involved in the medical industry and is using 3D technology to change and save lives, whether it’s through virtual surgical planning or 3D printed implants, bioprinting or 3D printed surgical models. Now the company is sharing its medical model expertise with a new On Demand Anatomical Models service. The service allows medical professionals to order 3D printed anatomical models from their own medical files, enabling them to better plan surgeries and educate patients or trainees.
The service is simple to use: all a user has to do is upload a 3D model file in STL, OBJ or PLY format to the new website. Customers can prepare their files for 3D printing using 3D Systems’ D2P software if they so choose, or any other commercially available software. The user then selects which materials they want their models to be 3D printed in, as well as areas to highlight, and requests an instant quote. The order can then be placed with one click, and the 3D printed model will arrive in approximately five business days.
3D Systems has also created a seamless connection between its D2P software and the On Demand Anatomical Models website, so medical professionals can quickly and easily create 3D models from their medical imaging data. D2P now has a module for Volume VR, allowing the user to upload and launch entire patient scans into a 3D virtual reality environment without any pre-processing of the data. The user can then “walk” through their scans and see an enhanced view of their patient’s anatomy, control layer visualization, and cut cross sections in any direction. Additional updates include improved mesh creation options, import and alignment of external mesh file into patient scan, and 3D PDF generation.
“For more than 25 years, 3D Systems has assisted medical professionals through the combination of our anatomical modeling experience and our 3D printing expertise,” said Katie Weimer, Vice President, Medical Devices, 3D Systems. “The healthcare industry is seeing the benefits provided through 3D printed anatomical models, and we are dedicated to continuing to expand our healthcare offerings to meet market needs. With the launch of our new On Demand Anatomical Modeling Service, we are making 3D printed models easier and more accessible to a broader range of the healthcare community.”
3D Systems will continue to offer its virtual surgical planning and anatomical modeling services in addition to the new service. The company also offers a Patient Specific Anatomical Modeling option, in which medical professionals provide CT or MRI scans to the team at 3D Systems’ Littleton, Colorado Healthcare Technology Center. The biomedical engineers at the center will then process the data, design the model, 3D print it and ship it to the customer. Whichever option medical professionals choose, 3D Systems is continually offering easier ways to obtain detailed, patient-specific 3D printed medical models for surgical planning, training and education.
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[Images: 3D Systems]
