Dimensional accuracy and resolution assessment of the formlabs form 3B 3D printer for medical applications
Introduction: For quality management of in-hospital 3D printing, it is essential to have detailed knowledge on the accuracy and reproducibility of the 3D printing process. In this study, the influence of several printing and post-processing parameters on dimensional accuracy and resolution were eval...
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| Format: | Article |
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Elsevier
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Annals of 3D Printed Medicine |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666964125000190 |
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| author | Vera Lagerburg Anne Vrancken Sietske Bergsma Janita Dekker Wouter Diemer Judith Waldner-Troost Maaike Koenrades |
| author_facet | Vera Lagerburg Anne Vrancken Sietske Bergsma Janita Dekker Wouter Diemer Judith Waldner-Troost Maaike Koenrades |
| author_sort | Vera Lagerburg |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: For quality management of in-hospital 3D printing, it is essential to have detailed knowledge on the accuracy and reproducibility of the 3D printing process. In this study, the influence of several printing and post-processing parameters on dimensional accuracy and resolution were evaluated in three different hospitals to provide a reference for printer performance for medical applications. Methods: A custom phantom was designed comprising features to assess accuracy and resolution of the Form 3B printer (Formlabs, Somerville, MA, USA). Specific features common for surgical guides were included, such as slits, flanges, and cylinders. The phantoms were 3D printed using a medical grade resin (Formlabs Biomed Clear resin) and evaluated after postprocessing and sterilization. Dimensional accuracy was defined as the deviation between the actual measurement and the known feature dimension and evaluated in x-, y- and z-direction. Resolution was defined as the smallest complete feature. Results: The accuracy of the prints in the x-direction varied between -0.1 mm and 0.1 mm, in the y-direction between -0.25 mm and 0.4 mm and in the z-direction between -0.2 mm and 0.4 mm. The influence of sterilization on the accuracy was negligible. The smallest slit that was always open when printing in the x-direction was 0.3 mm and in the y-direction 0.4 mm. Conclusion: This study provides hospitals with a reference for the printing accuracy and resolution for a medical grade resin. The phantom designed can be used in every hospital to determine their own printing accuracy and tolerances thereby optimizing product design for the intended clinical application. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e4bba462de4a46e39412e2bf4a65fbdf |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2666-9641 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Annals of 3D Printed Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-e4bba462de4a46e39412e2bf4a65fbdf2025-08-20T03:07:00ZengElsevierAnnals of 3D Printed Medicine2666-96412025-08-011910020410.1016/j.stlm.2025.100204Dimensional accuracy and resolution assessment of the formlabs form 3B 3D printer for medical applicationsVera Lagerburg0Anne Vrancken1Sietske Bergsma2Janita Dekker3Wouter Diemer4Judith Waldner-Troost5Maaike Koenrades6Medical Physics, OLVG, Postbus 95500 1090 HM, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Corresponding author at: Department of Medical Physics and Instrumentation, St. Antonius Ziekenhuis, Postbus 2500, 3430 EM Nieuwegein, The Netherlands.Department of Medical Physics, Catharina Ziekenhuis, Michelangelolaan 2 5623 EJ Eindhoven, the NetherlandsDepartment of Medical Technology and Medical Physics, Medisch Spectrum Twente, Koningstraat 1 7512 KZ, Enschede, the Netherlands3D Lab of Department of Computerization, Automatization and Medical Technology (iMED), OLVG, Postbus 95500 1090 HM, Amsterdam, the NetherlandsMedical 3D Lab, Medisch Spectrum Twente, Koningstraat 1 7512 KZ, Enschede, the NetherlandsMedical 3D Lab, Medisch Spectrum Twente, Koningstraat 1 7512 KZ, Enschede, the NetherlandsMedical 3D Lab, Medisch Spectrum Twente, Koningstraat 1 7512 KZ, Enschede, the NetherlandsIntroduction: For quality management of in-hospital 3D printing, it is essential to have detailed knowledge on the accuracy and reproducibility of the 3D printing process. In this study, the influence of several printing and post-processing parameters on dimensional accuracy and resolution were evaluated in three different hospitals to provide a reference for printer performance for medical applications. Methods: A custom phantom was designed comprising features to assess accuracy and resolution of the Form 3B printer (Formlabs, Somerville, MA, USA). Specific features common for surgical guides were included, such as slits, flanges, and cylinders. The phantoms were 3D printed using a medical grade resin (Formlabs Biomed Clear resin) and evaluated after postprocessing and sterilization. Dimensional accuracy was defined as the deviation between the actual measurement and the known feature dimension and evaluated in x-, y- and z-direction. Resolution was defined as the smallest complete feature. Results: The accuracy of the prints in the x-direction varied between -0.1 mm and 0.1 mm, in the y-direction between -0.25 mm and 0.4 mm and in the z-direction between -0.2 mm and 0.4 mm. The influence of sterilization on the accuracy was negligible. The smallest slit that was always open when printing in the x-direction was 0.3 mm and in the y-direction 0.4 mm. Conclusion: This study provides hospitals with a reference for the printing accuracy and resolution for a medical grade resin. The phantom designed can be used in every hospital to determine their own printing accuracy and tolerances thereby optimizing product design for the intended clinical application.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666964125000190Medical resinAccuracyResolutionPhantom3D printingSurgical guide |
| spellingShingle | Vera Lagerburg Anne Vrancken Sietske Bergsma Janita Dekker Wouter Diemer Judith Waldner-Troost Maaike Koenrades Dimensional accuracy and resolution assessment of the formlabs form 3B 3D printer for medical applications Annals of 3D Printed Medicine Medical resin Accuracy Resolution Phantom 3D printing Surgical guide |
| title | Dimensional accuracy and resolution assessment of the formlabs form 3B 3D printer for medical applications |
| title_full | Dimensional accuracy and resolution assessment of the formlabs form 3B 3D printer for medical applications |
| title_fullStr | Dimensional accuracy and resolution assessment of the formlabs form 3B 3D printer for medical applications |
| title_full_unstemmed | Dimensional accuracy and resolution assessment of the formlabs form 3B 3D printer for medical applications |
| title_short | Dimensional accuracy and resolution assessment of the formlabs form 3B 3D printer for medical applications |
| title_sort | dimensional accuracy and resolution assessment of the formlabs form 3b 3d printer for medical applications |
| topic | Medical resin Accuracy Resolution Phantom 3D printing Surgical guide |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666964125000190 |
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