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. 2019 Feb 5;6(1):14. doi: 10.3390/bioengineering6010014

Table 2.

Simulator fabrication costs (raw cost and manpower) of each method described.

Components Fabrication Methods Facilities and Software Material Manpower
Costal cartilages

  • Molding cartilage and pouring [59]

  • 0.00 €

  • Silicone rubber: 13.00 €

  • 2 h (professional surgeon)

  • Imaging data segmentation

  • 3D modelling mold

  • 3D printing mold

  • Pouring silicone rubber [61,62]

  • 3D segmentation software (i.e., 3D Slicer): freeware

  • 3D Modelling software (i.e., Rhinoceros): 995.00 €

  • FDM desktop printer: 2500 €

  • Silicone rubber: 0.45 €–52.00 €

  • 1 h (professional radiologist)

  • 2 h (engineer)

  • 10 h (printing time)
Reference ear and tools

  • Hand-tracing ear contour

  • 0,00 €

  • Tracing paper 0.20 € or X-ray film 3.00 €

  • 5 min (professional surgeon)

  • Casting actual ear and pouring dental stoner

  • Image acquisition of ear’s replica

  • 3D modelling

  • 3D printing of template [64]

  • 3D laser scanner (i.e., 3D Scanner HD, NextEngine): 2995 €

  • FDM desktop printer: 2500 €

  • 6.00 €

  • 4.5 h (engineer)

  • Ear image acquisition with 3D scanner

  • Data processing

  • 3D printing template [63]

  • 3D scanner (i.e., Artec Spider): 11,000 €

  • 3D modelling software (Geomagic Studio): 9000 €

  • FDM printer: 2500 €

  • 0.50 €

  • 4 h (engineer)

  • Ear image acquisition with 3D digital photograph

  • 3D modelling

  • 3D printing [65]

  • 3D scanner (3DMD): 6000 €

  • FDM desktop printer (i.e., Builder Premium 3D): 3000 €

  • 1.00 €

  • 6 h (engineer)