New Zealand biology professors try to use 3D printed specimens

A few days ago, scientists at Massey University in New Zealand developed a simple 3D scanning and 3D printing method to help students learn anatomy.

They used a consumer-grade 3D scanner to create a 3D digital model of a cane skeleton and a tough cartilage in a head shark's head. It is then printed out using a Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) 3D printer . These test samples demonstrate how a high quality replication model can be more easily manufactured and reveal a more anatomically useful application of 3D printing.

According to Dr. Daniel Thomas of the University of Massey's Institute of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, the lead author of the study, their goal is to make it easier for students and classrooms to make anatomical models.

“Anatomy can help us understand the ecology and evolution of a species and provide us with important information about developing conservation strategies. It is unrealistic to know that students learn directly from real anatomical specimens. This is a high-quality 3D printed model. The use of the land.

“Imagine being able to print out the bones of a rare terror bird in the classrooms of Silverdale (New Zealand's place names). Or in college classrooms in the United States, students can study the cockroaches of a parrot, and the cockroach is from New Zealand scanned."

It is understood that the research team used these models printed by the SLS 3D printer of the School of Engineering and Advanced Technology. “The scanner we use is quite cheap for a normal school or university. If the teacher or student does not have their own 3D printer, the online 3D printing service is also very good.”

“There is no maximum size limit for 3D printing and scanning, because larger bones can be divided into multiple prints,” Dr. Thomas said.

He acknowledged that the anatomical model does not consider biological variability and that some aspects are lost during printing and processing. However, the biggest advantage of the model is that they provide educational opportunities for more students because some people may not be able to use the original specimens.

Dr. Thomas said he will use 3D scanning and 3D printing to increase the variety of specimens students can study on his vertebrate curriculum.

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