Design of braided fibrous scaffold for spinal cord injury applications: Using Rhinoceros 3D and Grasshopper plugin

Spinal cord injuries (SCI) result from causes such as traffic accidents and falls. Scaffold construction strategies are limited in design and functionality due to fabrication methods. The objective of this work was to 3D model braided textile structures (scaffolds) suitable for assisting in the treatment of SCI. Using parametric modelling in Rhinoceros with Grasshopper, the study integrates design thinking and computational thinking to create and prototype structures. Selection criteria included the number of yarn layers (internal and external), angle, structural diameter, and porosity. The structures consist of an internal layer with eight yarns and an external layer with eight or 16 yarns. The main requirement for selection was porosity, and two primary structures with different topologies were simulated and subsequently characterized. A porosity of 84.77% indicates feasibility for implementation. The use of Rhinoceros 3D and the Grasshopper plugin facilitated the creation and assessment of the structures in terms of topology.