The Autodesk solution Meshmixer has been used for the most varied purposes, as in the case of 3DUX Medical Solutions, a pioneer startup in Latin America in the application of 3D modeling and printing technologies in medicine.
Having a team formed by doctors and professionals with knowledge in engineering and modeling, 3DUX develops solutions for diagnostic complementation and surgical planning, with early stage initiatives in the area of bioengineering. In addition, the company, founded just over a year ago, develops 3D parts and biomodels for training students, doctors and other health professionals, serving universities and specialization courses, which previously had almost exclusively a database. bones and corpses to meet your needs.
The idea of starting to work with 3D modeling and printing came from the radiology experience of the doctor Bruno Aragão, one of the partners of 3DUX. He began to notice that complex cases could be more easily understood by viewing 3D images of radiology exams. Some features of 3D biomodels are very interesting, according to Aragão, such as the possibility of printing on sterilizable, biocompatible materials and even representing anatomical structures of interest to the surgeon in color, such as a tumor.
"With this technique it is possible to plan and simulate surgeries or even create a specific tool for a procedure that requires a more complex approach", says the doctor. According to him, the use of this technology has already prevented the removal of an entire organ affected by a tumor, allowing a less aggressive procedure for the patient.
The use of Meshmixer was essential to develop this type of solution, since it is a free program and an easy to use interface. “We work with Meshmixer for its functionalities and its friendly interface, which is essential for those who are specialists in health”, he concludes.
According to Marcio Pinto, head of marketing for Autodesk Brasil, there is little doubt that the evolution of this transformative technology will bring about a new era of personalized manufacturing. In this sense, the company sees and makes it possible to use creativity for a new way of projecting the future. "Autodesk is much more than a software development company, because it encourages the breaking of paradigms in the way we are used to producing and thinking about technology", says the executive.
Technical knowledge is the company's main differential, which manages to translate even detailed information about a certain part of the body to a layperson. The next step for 3DUX, whose main customers are medical surgeons, is to popularize the technique and increase the production scale to lower the final cost of each piece.
The future
In 3DUX's view, 3D printing will be used on a larger scale in the future. Some applications will be custom prosthesis implants and bioprinting itself, which has been developing rapidly in recent years and should take around 15 years to spread.
“We know that bioprinting is extremely complex due to the structure of certain organs. However, we also know that technology companies are increasingly interested in this sector and developing solutions that previously seemed unimaginable ”, says Aragão.
One of these solutions is the recently launched Autodesk Within Medical, generative design software that optimizes 3D printing and mechanical resistance of medical implants for the orthopedic industry. The software allows biomedical engineers to create orthopedic implants with porous structures that help to properly connect bone implants (osseointegration) and promote the development of blood vessels in the surrounding tissue (vascularization) to facilitate healing.
EN 
PT 
