The Influence of the Fill and Extrusion Factors in 3D Printing on the Electron and X-Ray Densities of Plastic Products

• Published in: Biomedical engineering 2022-11, Vol.56 (4), p.278-281
• Main Authors: Bushmina, E. A., Bulavskaya, A. A., Grigor’eva, A. A., Miloichikova, I. A., Stuchebrov, S. G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 3-D printers; 3D printing; Biomaterials; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Dosimetry; Drug dosages; Electron density; Electrons; Engineering; Extrusion; Manufacturing; Parameters; Plastics; Printing; Radiation therapy; Rapid prototyping; Soft tissues; Three dimensional printing; Tomography
• ISSN: 0006-3398; 1573-8256
• DOI: 10.1007/s10527-022-10219-x

This paper presents the results of a study of the relationship between the characteristics of plastic samples produced by layer-by-layer deposition and changes in such three-dimensional printing parameters as the fill factor of the sample with plastic and the coefficient of extrusion of plastic from the printing nozzle. The results showed that the relative electron and X-ray densities of the fabricated samples change linearly with changes in these printing parameters. The ranges of relative electron density (from 0.843 to 1.079 HU) and X-ray density (from –160 to 100 HU) obtained for the study samples allow objects with characteristics corresponding to the known values of most human soft tissues and organs to be created (HU: –100-80; ρ e : 0.949-1.052). The results reported here are of use in developing a method for creating dosimetric phantoms by 3D printing.