Incorporating 3D RP Process in Biomedical Engineering Design

Design, prototyping and analysis are vital skills to be obtained by Biomedical Engineering (BME) students.These skills should be taught to the BME students during their design courses.Introducing the design process with prototypes gives students a better visualization of a final product in three dimensions.While machining the designed part would be the ideal method, it is not always practical within the confines of an academic term.The most effective alternative to machining a part within the confines of a semester is to use a three-dimensional rapid prototype (3D RP) system to fabricate the part.This is a practical method to quickly and accurately establish the proof of concept.The primary objective of this paper is to study, design, and build an artificial mitral heart valve with 3D RP and to explore the feasibility of including 3D RP process in BME design courses.In most engineering projects the product designs are conceptualized, fabricated, tested, analyzed, and refined.The rapid prototyping system uses three dimensional Computer Aided Design (3D CAD) files to fabricate a physical model.These models are usually made from ABS-plastics, starch, rubber, or another suitable material.This project looks into the design of an artificial heart valve using 3D modeling software, flow simulation, and rapid prototyping.Using a 3D CAD to 3D RP in biomedical design will enable us to create a number of complicated parts.In order to better understand the form and function of a mitral valve, a preliminary study was conducted.Several versions of heart valves were designed using the 3D CAD software in SolidWorks.These models were further modified after observing how they performed within a flow simulation in SolidWorks's COSMOS.The data files for the modified models were then exported to the 3D RP machine.The 3D RP machine then produced physical models which could be held, viewed and further analyzed.With the techniques of 3D RP, BME students will acquire a better understanding of the process taken from the design concept to the final product.With the model in hand, students had a better understanding of how the mitral valve functions and then they were able to justify why the part was designed in a specific configuration.Initial results are encouraging for not only the prototype valve but also the application of 3D rapid design in the educational environment.In conclusion, the design of this artificial mitral heart valve and its fabrication in 3D RP shows the feasibility and potential benefits for the use of rapid prototyping process in engineering education with a particular emphasis on Biomedical Engineering design courses.