title: 3D printed guides for controlled alignment in biomechanics tests.
abstract: The bone-machine interface is a vital first step for biomechanical testing. It remains challenging to restore the original alignment of the specimen with respect to the test setup. To overcome this issue, we developed a methodology based on virtual planning and 3D printing. In this paper, the methodology is outlined and a proof of concept is presented based on a series of cadaveric tests performed on our knee simulator. The tests described in this paper reached an accuracy within 3-4° and 3-4mm with respect to the virtual planning. It is however the authors' belief that the method has the potential to achieve an accuracy within one degree and one millimeter. Therefore, this approach can aid in reducing the imprecisions in biomechanical tests (e.g. knee simulator tests for evaluating knee kinematics) and improve the consistency of the bone-machine interface.
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Department of Physical Medicine and Orthopaedic Surgery, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Gent, Belgium. Electronic address: Matthias.Verstraete@UGent.be.
authors.forename: Matthias A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Verstraete
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Department of Physical Medicine and Orthopaedic Surgery, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Willemot
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Department of Physical Medicine and Orthopaedic Surgery, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Stefaan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Van Onsem
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Department of Physical Medicine and Orthopaedic Surgery, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Cyriëlle
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Department of Physical Medicine and Orthopaedic Surgery, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Nele
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Arnout
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Department of Physical Medicine and Orthopaedic Surgery, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Victor
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002102:Cadaver; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007717:Knee / Q000502:physiology; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D066330:Printing, Three-Dimensional; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012984:Software; D013977:Tibia / Q000502:physiology
keywords: 3D printing; Bone-machine interface; Knee simulator; Virtual planning