scholarly journals A computational fluid dynamics assessment of 3D printed ventilator splitters and restrictors for differential multi-patient ventilation

2022 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel J. Duke ◽  
Alexander L. Clarke ◽  
Andrew L. Stephens ◽  
Lee Djumas ◽  
Shaun D. Gregory

Abstract Background The global pandemic of novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has led to global shortages of ventilators and accessories. One solution to this problem is to split ventilators between multiple patients, which poses the difficulty of treating two patients with dissimilar ventilation needs. A proposed solution to this problem is the use of 3D-printed flow splitters and restrictors. There is little data available on the reliability of such devices and how the use of different 3D printing methods might affect their performance. Methods We performed flow resistance measurements on 30 different 3D-printed restrictor designs produced using a range of fused deposition modelling and stereolithography printers and materials, from consumer grade printers using polylactic acid filament to professional printers using surgical resin. We compared their performance to novel computational fluid dynamics models driven by empirical ventilator flow rate data. This indicates the ideal performance of a part that matches the computer model. Results The 3D-printed restrictors varied considerably between printers and materials to a sufficient degree that would make them unsafe for clinical use without individual testing. This occurs because the interior surface of the restrictor is rough and has a reduced nominal average diameter when compared to the computer model. However, we have also shown that with careful calibration it is possible to tune the end-inspiratory (tidal) volume by titrating the inspiratory time on the ventilator. Conclusions Computer simulations of differential multi patient ventilation indicate that the use of 3D-printed flow splitters is viable. However, in situ testing indicates that using 3D printers to produce flow restricting orifices is not recommended, as the flow resistance can deviate significantly from expected values depending on the type of printer used. Trial registration Not applicable.

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-148
Author(s):  
Yousef Abu-Zidan ◽  
Kate Nguyen ◽  
Priyan Mendis ◽  
Sujeeva Setunge ◽  
Hojjat Adeli

The novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has spread at an unprecedented rate, resulting in a global pandemic (COVID-19) that has strained healthcare systems and claimed many lives. Front-line healthcare workers are among the most at risk of contracting and spreading the virus due to close contact with infected patients and settings of high viral loads. To provide these workers with an extra layer of protection, the authors propose a low-cost, prefabricated, and portable sanitising chamber that sprays individuals with sanitising fluid to disinfect clothing and external surfaces on their person. The study discusses computer-aided design of the chamber to improve uniformity of sanitiser deposition and reduce discomfort due to excessive moisture. Advanced computational fluid dynamics is used to simulate the dispersion and deposition of spray particle, and the resulting wetting pattern on the treated person is used to optimise the chamber design.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 15
Author(s):  
Nuno Venâncio ◽  
Gabriela G. Pereira ◽  
João F. Pinto ◽  
Ana I. Fernandes

Patient-centric therapy is especially important in pediatrics and may be attained by three-dimensional printing. Filaments containing 30% w/w of theophylline were produced by hot-melt extrusion and printed using fused deposition modelling to produce tablets. Here, preliminary results evaluating the effect of infill geometry (cross, star, grid) on drug content and release are reported.


Author(s):  
Varun Sharma ◽  
Khaja Moinuddin Shaik ◽  
Archita Choudhury ◽  
Pramod Kumar ◽  
Prateek Kala ◽  
...  

The present research paper attempts to study the effect of different process parameters on the dissolution rate during 3D printed tablets. Three-dimensional printing has the potential of serving tailored made tablets to cater personalized drug delivery systems. Fluorescein loaded PVA filaments through impregnation route was used to fabricate tablets based on Taguchi based design of experimentation using Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM). The effect of print speed, infill percentage and layer thickness were analyzed to study the effect on rate of dissolution. Infill percentage followed by print speed were found to be critical parameters affecting dissolution rate. The data analysis provided an insight into the study of interaction among different 3D printing parameters to develop an empirical relation for percentage release of the drug in human body.


2021 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-78
Author(s):  
Pulkin Gupta ◽  
Sudha Kumari ◽  
Abhishek Gupta ◽  
Ankit Kumar Sinha ◽  
Prashant Jindal

Abstract Fused deposition modelling (FDM) is a layer-by-layer manufacturing process type of 3D-printing (3DP). Significant variation in the mechanical properties of 3D printed specimens is observed because of varied process parameters and interfacial bonding between consecutive layers. This study investigates the influence of heat treatment on the mechanical strength of FDM 3D printed Polylactic acid (PLA) parts with constant 3DP parameters and ambient conditions. To meet the objectives, 7 sets, each containing 5 dog-bone shaped samples, were fabricated from commercially available PLA filament. Each set was subjected to heat treatment at a particular temperature for 1 h and cooled in the furnace itself, while one set was left un-treated. The temperature for heat treatment (Th) varied from 30 °C to 130 °C with increments of 10 °C. The heat-treated samples were characterized under tensile loading of 400 N and mechanical properties like Young’s modulus (E), Strain % ( ε ) and Stiffness (k) were evaluated. On comparing the mechanical properties of heat-treated samples to un-treated samples, significant improvements were observed. Heat treatment also altered the geometries of the samples. Mechanical properties improved by 4.88 % to 10.26 % with the maximum being at Th of 110 °C and below recrystallization temperature (Tr) of 65 °C. Deformations also decreased significantly at higher temperatures above 100 °C, by a maximum of 36.06 %. The dimensions of samples showed a maximum decrease of 1.08 % in Tr range and a maximum decrease of 0.31 % in weight at the same temperature. This study aims to benefit the society by establishing suitable Th to recover the lost strength in PLA based FDM 3D printed parts.


TEM Journal ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 966-970
Author(s):  
Damir Hodžić ◽  
Adi Pandžić ◽  
Ismar Hajro ◽  
Petar Tasić

Widely used additive manufacturing technique for plastic materials is Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM). The FDM technology has gained interest in industry for a wide range of applications, especially today when large number of different materials on the market are available. There are many different manufacturers for the same FDM material where the difference in price goes up to 50%. This experimental study investigates possible difference in strength of the 3D printed PLA material of five different manufacturers. All specimens are 3D printed on Ultimaker S5 printer with the same printing parameters, and they are all the same colour.


Pharmaceutics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 1524
Author(s):  
Sadikalmahdi Abdella ◽  
Souha H. Youssef ◽  
Franklin Afinjuomo ◽  
Yunmei Song ◽  
Paris Fouladian ◽  
...  

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is among the rapidly evolving technologies with applications in many sectors. The pharmaceutical industry is no exception, and the approval of the first 3D-printed tablet (Spiratam®) marked a revolution in the field. Several studies reported the fabrication of different dosage forms using a range of 3D printing techniques. Thermosensitive drugs compose a considerable segment of available medications in the market requiring strict temperature control during processing to ensure their efficacy and safety. Heating involved in some of the 3D printing technologies raises concerns regarding the feasibility of the techniques for printing thermolabile drugs. Studies reported that semi-solid extrusion (SSE) is the commonly used printing technique to fabricate thermosensitive drugs. Digital light processing (DLP), binder jetting (BJ), and stereolithography (SLA) can also be used for the fabrication of thermosensitive drugs as they do not involve heating elements. Nonetheless, degradation of some drugs by light source used in the techniques was reported. Interestingly, fused deposition modelling (FDM) coupled with filling techniques offered protection against thermal degradation. Concepts such as selection of low melting point polymers, adjustment of printing parameters, and coupling of more than one printing technique were exploited in printing thermosensitive drugs. This systematic review presents challenges, 3DP procedures, and future directions of 3D printing of thermo-sensitive formulations.


2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 465-474
Author(s):  
Martin Krčma ◽  
David Škaroupka ◽  
Petr Vosynek ◽  
Tomáš Zikmund ◽  
Jozef Kaiser ◽  
...  

Purpose This paper aims to focus on the evaluation of a polymer concrete as a three-dimensional (3D) printing material. An associated company has developed plastic concrete made from reused unrecyclable plastic waste. Its intended use is as a construction material. Design/methodology/approach The concrete mix, called PolyBet, composed of polypropylene and glass sand, is printed by the fused deposition modelling process. The process of material and parameter selection is described. The mechanical properties of the filled material were compared to its cast state. Samples were made from castings and two different orientations of 3D-printed parts. Three-point flex tests were carried out, and the area of the break was examined. Computed tomography of the samples was carried out. Findings The influence of the 3D printing process on the material was evaluated. The mechanical performance of the longitudinal samples was close to the cast state. There was a difference in the failure mode between the states, with cast parts exhibiting a tougher behaviour, with fractures propagating in a stair-like manner. The 3D-printed samples exhibited high degrees of porosity. Originality/value The results suggest that the novel material is a good fit for 3D printing, with little to no degradation caused by the process. Layer adhesion was shown to be excellent, with negligible effect on the finished part for the longitudinal orientation. That means, if large-scale testing of buildability is successful, the material is a good fit for additive manufacturing of building components and other large-scale structures.


Circuit World ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-14
Author(s):  
Jakub Krzeminski ◽  
Bartosz Blicharz ◽  
Andrzej Skalski ◽  
Grzegorz Wroblewski ◽  
Małgorzata Jakubowska ◽  
...  

Purpose Despite almost limitless possibilities of rapid prototyping, the idea of 3D printed fully functional electronic device still has not been fulfilled – the missing point is a highly conductive material suitable for this technique. The purpose of this paper is to present the usage of the photonic curing process for sintering highly conductive paths printed on the polymer substrate. Design/methodology/approach This paper evaluates two photonic curing processes for the conductive network formulation during the additive manufacturing process. Along with the xenon flash sintering for aerosol jet-printed paths, this paper examines rapid infrared sintering for thick-film and direct write techniques. Findings This paper proves that the combination of fused deposition modeling, aerosol jet printing or paste deposition, along with photonic sintering, is suitable to obtain elements with low resistivity of 3,75·10−8 Ωm. Presented outcomes suggest the solution for fabrication of the structural electronics systems for daily-use applications. Originality/value The combination of fused deposition modelling (FDM) and aerosol jet printing or paste deposition used with photonic sintering process can fill the missing point for highly conductive materials for structural electronics.


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