Utilizing the Material Extrusion Additive Manufacturing Process to Fabricate an Overmoulding Solution for a Reconfigurable Thoracentesis Training Mannequin

摘要

Current thoracentesis medical training simulators lack tactile realism and do not represent the physiological variations in patient characteristics. This impedes optimal experiential learning. By systematically implementing advanced computer-aided design (CAD) techniques and additive manufacturing (AM) tools, thoracic wall representations for children to adults can be readily fabricated. Clavicular growth rates were used to scale the skeletal models for a wide range of patient demographics. Parametrically modelled mould sets enable the modification of tissue thickness to account for varying thoracic wall thicknesses. The fused deposition modeling (FDM) AM process was used to fabricate the skeletal structures, and complex overmoulding components. Using these advanced engineering tools allows solutions to be introduced quickly, with limited costs, compared to traditional methods.