|
|
|
|
|
29/01/2008
 Email to a friend
 Comment on this article
|
Software is key to the design and manufacture of custom-made bone and joint implants for patients with tumours and major bone loss at Isiqu Orthopaedics near Cape Town, South A
 frica. In most cases, the only alternative to implants would have been amputation of the affected limb.
“We have been using Delcam products since the start of Isiqu’s manufacturing operations,” explained director George Vicatos.
The process begins with either an X-Ray, MRI or 3D CT scan. If it is in the first two formats, the image is scanned and digitised, and the basic dimensions obtained to help in the design decisions. If it is in CT scan format, it is first converted to an STL file format, which may be imported into Delcam’s CopyCAD reverse engineering software so that it can be converted into surfaces to produce a digital model of the skeletal part to be replaced by the implant. The surfaces produced by CopyCAD, or the dimensions from x-ray or MRI scans, are imported into the Powershape CAD software in which the design of the implant is completed. The final design is then passed into the Powermill CAM system used to program the company’s five-axis DMG milling machine.
|
|
| |
Author
Tom Shelley
|
| |
| |
This material is protected by Findlay Media copyright 2012.
See Terms and Conditions.
One-off usage is permitted but bulk copying is not.
For multiple copies contact the sales team.
|
| |
|
|
| |
To comment on news stories or blogs you need to complete our 60 second registration
process. Once completed this then allows you to download any and all white papers,
register for e-zines and access our detailed supplier directory for FREE.
If you are all ready a registered user then enter your e-mail address and login.
You will need to have logged in prior to entering your comments in the boxes provided.
|