Table 3.
Properties of common materials used in 3D printing compared with those of human tissues
| Material | Printing method | Elastic modulus (MPa) | Shore hardness | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Printing materiala | ||||
| PLA | FDM | 3000–4000 | – | Low |
| ABS | FDM | 2200 | – | Low |
| Verowhite | SLA (Polyjet) | 2000–3000 | 83–86 Scale D | Medium |
| VeroClear | SLA (Polyjet) | 2000–3000 | 83–86 Scale D | Medium |
| Mold Star 15 | Casting on 3D printed model | 2.7 | 15 Scale A | Low |
| Echoflex 00–30 | Casting on 3D printed model | 1.4 | 00–30 | Low |
| TangoPlus FLX930 | SLA (Polyjet) | – | 26–28 Scale A | Expensive |
| Human Body | ||||
| Aorta/vena cava | – | 0.04–1.9 [75] | – | – |
| Valves | – | 1.0–1.3 [76] | – | – |
| Vasculature | – | 0.1–0.55 [76] | – | – |
| Heart muscle | – | 0.08 [76] | – | – |
aData from manufacturers’ websites
00–30: Grade 00 hardness, much lower than shore hardness