Table 12. Guide to potential applications in accordance with mechanical performance needed and sterilization method recommended.
| Printing technology | Material | Vendor | Recommended sterilization method (based on the mechanicala and dimensionalb results of this study) | Manufacturer’s recommended sterilization method (if any) | Flexible/ Elastic | Applicationc | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HPO | AU121 | AU134 | HPO | AU121 | AU134 | |||||
| SLA | Elastic 50 | Formlabs | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | AM for visualization |
| AM for training | ||||||||||
| SLA | Flexible 80 | Formlabs | No | Yes | No | – | – | – | Yes | AM for visualization |
| AM for training | ||||||||||
| SLA | Durable | Formlabs | Yes | Yes | No | – | – | – | No | AM for visualization |
| AM for training | ||||||||||
| SLA | Surgical Guide | Formlabs | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | AM for visualization |
| AM for training | ||||||||||
| Cutting guides | ||||||||||
| Positioning guides | ||||||||||
| MD mucous contact | ||||||||||
| MD skin contact | ||||||||||
| MJ | Elastic Clear | Stratasys | Yes | Yes | No | – | – | – | Yes | AM for visualization |
| AM for training | ||||||||||
| MJ | MED610 | Stratasys | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | AM for visualization |
| AM for training | ||||||||||
| Cutting guides | ||||||||||
| Positioning guides | ||||||||||
| MD mucous contact | ||||||||||
| MD skin contact | ||||||||||
| MJ | VERO | Stratasys | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | AM for visualization |
| AM for training | ||||||||||
| MD skin contact | ||||||||||
| FDM | ABS | Kimya | Yes | No | No | – | – | – | No | AM for visualization |
| AM for training | ||||||||||
| MD skin contact | ||||||||||
| FDM | PLA | Kimya | Yes | No | No | – | – | – | No | AM for visualization |
| AM for training | ||||||||||
| MD skin contact | ||||||||||
| FDM | TPU/TPE | Recreus | Yes | No | No | – | – | – | Yes | AM for visualization |
| AM for training | ||||||||||
| SLS | PA12 | 3D Systems | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | AM for visualization |
| AM for training | ||||||||||
| Cutting guides | ||||||||||
| Positioning guides | ||||||||||
| MD mucous contact | ||||||||||
| MD skin contact | ||||||||||
Recommended sterilization depending on the mechanical properties of the present study.
Recommended sterilization depending on the dimensional changes of the present study.
Detailed definitions for applications: AM for visualization, family–doctor communication in education and surgical planning; AM for training, education and surgical planning simulation; MD mucous contact, medical device prototyping or development for any applications (only materials that can be used in contact with mucous are considered); MD skin contact, medical device prototyping or development for any applications (only materials that can be used in contact with skin are considered); Cutting guides, materials used in patient-specific products for surgical planning or in surgery setting to guide the surgeon in the cutting; Positioning guides, materials used in patient-specific products for surgical planning or in surgery setting to guide the surgeon in the positioning of plates, screws, distractors and other implanted or temporary material.
Abbreviations: ABS, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene; AM, additive manufacturing; FDM, fused deposition modeling; MD, medical device; MJ, material jetting; PLA, polylactic acid; SLA, stereolithography; SLS, selective laser sintering; TPE, thermoplastic elastomer; TPU, thermoplastic polyurethane.