Search Results (34)

(1) Background: The adoption of Virtual Surgical Planning (VSP) and 3D technologies is rapidly growing within the field of orthopedic surgery, opening the door to highly innovative and individually tailored surgical techniques. We present an innovative correction approach successfully used in a child affected by “windswept deformity” of the knees. (2) Methods: We report a case involving a child diagnosed with “windswept deformity” of the knees. This condition was successfully addressed through a one-stage bilateral osteotomy of the distal femur. Notably, the wedge removed from the valgus side was flipped and employed on the varus side to achieve the correction of both knees simultaneously. The surgical technique was entirely conceptualized, simulated, and planned in a virtual environment. Customized cutting guides and bony models were produced at an in-hospital 3D printing point of care and used during the operation. (3) Results: The surgery was carried out according to the VSP, resulting in favorable outcomes. We achieved good corrections of the angular deformity with an absolute difference from the planned correction of 2° on the right side and 1° on the left side. Moreover, this precision not only improved surgical outcomes but also reduced the procedure’s duration and overall cost, highlighting the efficiency of our approach. (4) Conclusions: The integration of VSP and 3D printing into the surgical treatment of rare limb anomalies not only deepens our understanding of these deformities but also opens the door to the development of innovative, personalized, and adaptable approaches for addressing these unique conditions. Full article

(1) Background: The application of computer-aided planning in the surgical treatment of post-traumatic forearm deformities has been increasingly widening the range of techniques over the last two decades. We present the “flipping-wedge osteotomy”, a promising geometrical approach to correct uniapical deformities defined during our experience with virtual surgical planning (VSP); (2) Methods: a case of post-traumatic distal radius deformity (magnitude 43°) treated with a flipping-wedge osteotomy in an 11-year-old girl is reported, presenting the planning rationale, its geometrical demonstration, and the outcome of the procedure; (3) Results: surgery achieved correction of both the angular and rotational deformities with a neutral ulnar variance; (4) Conclusions: flipping-wedge osteotomy may be a viable option to achieve correction in forearm deformities, and it deserves further clinical investigation. Full article

Industrial engineering applications often require manufacturing large components in composite materials to obtain light structures; however, moulds are expensive, especially when manufacturing a limited batch of parts. On the one hand, when traditional approaches are carried out, moulds are milled from large slabs or laminated with composite materials on a model of the part to produce. In this case, the realisation of a mould leads to adding time-consuming operations to the manufacturing process. On the other hand, if a fully additively manufactured approach is chosen, the manufacturing time increases exponentially and does not match the market’s requirements. This research proposes a methodology to improve the production efficiency of large moulds using a hybrid technology by combining additive manufacturing and milling tools. A block of soft material such as foam is milled, and then the printing head of an additive manufacturing machine deposits several layers of plastic material or modelling clay using conformal three-dimensional paths. Finally, the mill can polish the surface, thus obtaining a mould of large dimensions quickly, with reduced cost and without needing trained personnel and handcraft polishing. A software tool has been developed to modify the G-code read by an additive manufacturing machine to obtain material deposition over the soft mould. The authors forced conventional machining instructions to match those of an AM machine. Thus, additive deposition of new material uses 3D conformal trajectories typical of CNC machines. Consequently, communication between two very different instruments using the same language is possible. At first, the code was tested on a modified Fused Filament Fabrication machine whose firmware has been adapted to manage a milling tool and a printing head. Then, the software was tested on a large machine suitable for producing moulds for the large parts typical of marine and aerospace engineering. The research demonstrates that AM technologies can integrate conventional machinery to support the composite materials industry when large parts are required. Full article

The following scientific paper aims to analyze in detail the methodology for reverse engineering of a racing motorcycle connecting rod. The objective is to start with a product available on the market as a spare part, reconstruct its CAD model with a high standard of accuracy, then proceed with lightening modifications to arrive at a new, improved design. The innovative aspect of the procedure lies in the fact that in order to ensure accuracy on the order of a tenth of a millimeter during reconstruction, it was decided to use a FARO articulated arm laser to scan the component’s outer surface. By taking advantage of appropriate redesign CAD software (Geomagic Design X), a reconstruction can proceed within the high standard of accuracy imposed. In conclusion, the modifications made through material removal allow an improvement in product efficiency, ensuring high performance. Full article

Complex deformities of lower limbs are frequent in children with genetic or metabolic skeletal disorders. Early correction is frequently required, but it is technically difficult and burdened by complications and recurrence. Herein, we described the case of a 7-year-old girl affected by severe bilateral genu varum due to spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia. The patient was treated by patient-specific osteotomies and customized structural wedge allograft using Virtual Surgical Planning (VSP) and 3D-printed patient-specific instrumentation (PSI). The entire process was performed through an in-hospital 3D-printing Point-of-Care (POC). VSP and 3D-printing applied to pediatric orthopedic surgery may allow personalization of corrective osteotomies and customization of structural allografts by using low-cost in-hospital POC. However, optimal and definitive alignment is rarely achieved in such severe deformities in growing skeleton through a single operation. Full article

A deep research and analysis of a “critical waste” object has been carried out, understood as a subject that does not fare high on the separate collection and recycling system yet: the cigarette butt. This acknowledged social waste is the first among all the garbage detected everywhere around neighborhoods worldwide, and is therefore the epicenter of a situation so worrying that it is necessary to find a solution concerning the environmental pollution. The present exercise was developed, by means of proper product design methods like TRIZ and QFD driven by DFSS rulings, to conceive of new products and services in order to create incentive for the smokers to lessen the environmental pollution problem. The social implications are about the possibility of modifying the bad habits of the smokers and making the user act consciously towards the environment. Throwing the cigarette-stub in the new collection device, rather than on the ground, enables users to enjoy both moral and economic returns. The “Buttalo” service is aimed to incentivize the population to fight against environmental pollution whilst helping smokers to be conscious about it. Full article

Torsional deformities of the lower limb are common in children with cerebral palsy (CP)-determining gait problems. The mechanisms underlying transverse plane gait deviations arise from a combination of dynamic and static factors. The dynamic elements may be due to spasticity, contractures and muscle imbalances, while the static ones may result from excessive femoral anteversion, which decreases the efficiency of the hip abductors by reducing the muscular lever arms. A therapeutic approach has been identified in multi-level functional surgery for the lower limb. Treating the malalignments of the lower limb with femoral or tibial derotation provides optimal results, especially when supported by adequate biomechanical planning. This planning requires an integrated static-dynamic approach of morphological and functional evaluation, based on radiological measurements, physical examination and gait analysis. Instrumented gait analysis has been confirmed as essential in the evaluation and surgical decision making process for children affected by CP with transverse plane deformities. Computational simulations based on musculoskeletal models that integrate patient-specific CT morphological data into gait analysis can be used for the implementation of a surgical simulation system in pre-operative planning to test the possible effects of the different surgical treatment options on the torsional defects of the lower limbs. Recently, a computer-aided simulation process has been implemented in the preoperative planning of complex osteotomies for limb deformities in children. Three-dimensional (3D) digital models were generated from Computed Tomography (CT) scans, using free open-source software. The aim of this study is to integrate the patient-specific CT musculoskeletal model with morphological data and gait analysis data, with the personalized calculation of kinematic and kinetic parameters, which allow us to generate an “avatar” of the patient for a more in-depth evaluation of the gait abnormalities. The computational simulation platform proposed provides a realistic movable musculoskeletal model in a virtual environment, with the possibility of planning and monitoring the effects of virtual three-dimensional surgical corrections. Full article

The present study was set to validate two different suburban-type sportscar bodies with shared common underpinnings. The chosen method to develop this project was the Industrial Design Structure (IDeS), which characterizes the ability to use the different innovative techniques known within the industrial field, across the whole organization. This method is embodied by following a series of structured analysis tools, such as QFD (Quality Function Deployment), Benchmarking (BM), Top-Flop analysis (TFA), Stylistic Design Engineering (SDE), Prototyping, Testing, Budgeting and Planning. This project aims to study the present-day car market and to foresee deployment in the near future. This attempt was confirmed by delivering the complete styling and technical feasibility characteristics of two different sports cars, obtained by the IDeS methodology. This approach of embodying design together with phases of product development would provide a better engineered, target-oriented product, that uses state-of-the-art style and CAD environments to reduce product development time and, hence, overall Time to Market (TTM). Full article

Improvements in software for image analysis have enabled advances in both medical and engineering industries, including the use of medical analysis tools to recreate internal parts of the human body accurately. A research analysis found that FDM-sourced elements have shown viability for a customized and reliable approach in the orthopedics field. Three-dimensional printing has allowed enhanced accuracy of preoperative planning, leading to reduced surgery times, fewer unnecessary tissue perforations, and fewer healing complications. Furthermore, using custom tools chosen for each procedure has shown the best results. Bone correction-related surgeries require customized cutting guides for a greater outcome. This study aims to assess the biopolymer-based tools for surgical operations and their ability to sustain a regular heat-sterilization cycle without compromising the geometry and fit characteristics for a proper procedure. To achieve this, a DICOM and FDM methodology is proposed for fast prototyping of the cutting guide by means of 3D engineering. A sterilization test was performed on HTPLA, PLA, and nylon polymers. As a result, the unique characteristics within the regular autoclave sterilization process allowed regular supplied PLA to show there were no significant deformations, whilst annealed HTPLA proved this material’s capability of sustaining repeated heat cycles due to its crystallization properties. Both of these proved that the sterilization procedures do not compromise the reliability of the part, nor the safety of the procedure. Therefore, prototypes made with a similar process as this proposal could be safely used in actual surgery practices, while nylon performed poorly because of its hygroscopic properties. Full article

The evolution of innovative and systematic design methodologies over time has widened the design concept involvement from the product development phase, which also includes the production and start-up phases. Literature findings have presented to accomplish a Generative Design (GD) approach through the application of an innovative method called Industrial Structure Design (IDeS), a systematic design method able to discover the customer’s needs and the fundamental technical solutions to obtain a good innovative product, involving the whole organization for this achievement. Nevertheless, there is a social demand for solutions to the dramatic and growing problem of marine pollution from plastic materials, encouraging the designers to conceive a new innovative drone for waste collection at sea. Therefore, this study aims to merge all the most advanced design technologies with IDeS in an integrated way, by generating a structure that can also be adopted to plan the organization of a production company. The approach is validated with the design of the Recovery Plastic Drone (RPD) obtained with the IDeS methodology, combining Design and Product development phases, leading to a better and innovative solution for the market. Full article

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printing is the most widespread technology in additive manufacturing worldwide that thanks to its low costs, finished component applications, and the production process of other parts. The need for lighter and higher-performance components has led to an increased usage of polymeric matrix composites in many fields ranging from automotive to aerospace. The molds used to manufacture these components are made with different technologies, depending on the number of pieces to be made. Usually, they are fiberglass molds with a thin layer of gelcoat to lower the surface roughness and obtain a smooth final surface of the component. Alternatively, they are made from metal, thus making a single carbon fiber prototype very expensive due to the mold build. Making the mold using FDM technology can be a smart solution to reduce costs, but due to the layer deposition process, the roughness is quite high. The surface can be improved by reducing the layer height, but it is still not possible to reach the same degree of surface finish of metallic or gelcoat molds without the use of fillers. Thermoplastic polymers, also used in the FDM process, are generally soluble in specific solvents. This aspect can be exploited to perform chemical smoothing of the external surface of a component. The combination of FDM and chemical smoothing can be a solution to produce low-cost molds with a very good surface finish. Full article

This study shows an application of the Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) Methodology in the field of medical engineering. This research aims to demonstrate the application of a systematic design approach in the development of the “Ocane”, an innovative concept of smart cane for visually impaired patients which was thought of in answer to the end user’s needs, deploying an easy to transport, locate, and adjust element with ultrasonic sensors and tactile feedback. DFSS is an analytical design methodology meant to organize project workflow in a sequence of specific steps. Other standardized design procedures such as Quality Function Deployment (QFD) and Stylistic Design Engineering (SDE) have been used to support DFSS in terms of targeting customer requirements and focusing on aesthetics for ergonomics analysis, respectively. First, the QFD process is introduced and applied to gather the final customer needs, completing the analysis with benchmarking and similar-thought products on the market. Afterwards, a description of the DFSS methodology and application to the case study was deployed. Thereafter, the SDE procedure is exposed by identifying the “Ocane” concept and development, and moving towards the completion of an inventive product with a creative design and careful attention to visually impaired clients’ requirements. Full article

The design of an E segment, executive, midsize sedan car was chosen to fill a gap in the market of the Ford brand and to achieve the goal of innovation looking towards the future. Ford has not owned an E-segment flagship sports sedan for years, since the historic 1960s Falcon. Starting from the latter assumption and considering that the major car manufacturers are currently investing heavily in E-segment cars, it is important to design a new model, which has been called the Eagle. This model proposed here is to fill the gap between Ford and other companies that are already producing sport cars for the electric sector and to complete Ford’s proposal. The presented methodology is based on SDE, on which many design tools are implemented, such as Quality Function Deployment (QFD), Benchmarking (BM), and Top Flop Analysis (TPA). A market analysis follows in order to identify the major competitors and their key characteristics considering style and technology. The results are used to design an innovative car. Based on the most developed stylistic trends, the vehicle is first sketched and then drawn in the 2D and 3D environments for prototyping. This result leads to the possibility of 3D printing the actual model as a maquette using the Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) technology and testing it in different configurations in Augmented Reality (AR). These two final applications unveil the possibilities of Industry 4.0 as enrichment for SDE and in general rapid prototyping. Full article

Technology evolution and wide research attention on 3D printing efficiency and processes have given the prompt need to reach an understanding about each technique’s prowess to deliver superior quality levels whilst showing an economical and process viability to become mainstream. Studies in the field have struggled to predict the singularities that arise during most Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) practices; therefore, diverse individual description of the parameters have been performed, but a relationship study between them has not yet assessed. The proposed study lays the main defects caused by a selection of printing parameters which might vary layer slicing, then influencing the defect rate. Subsequently, the chosen technique for optimization is presented, with evidence of its application viability that suggests that a quality advance would be gathered with such. The results would help in making the FDM process become a reliable process that could also be used for industry manufacturing besides prototyping purposes. Full article