Three-dimensional printing versus conventional machining in the creation of a meatal urethral dilator: development and mechanical testing

摘要

a 3D-printed meatal urethral dilators (left to right): commercial Cook© meatal dilator, vertical PLA, vertical ABS, horizontal ABS, SLS nylon. b Comparison in the 3D print quality of the tips of the vertically orientated ABS dilator (left) which shows notches on the left where imperfections have developed and horizontally orientated ABS dilator (right) which was printed with soluble support material and has a smoother result. c Machined stainless steel dilator