Cholesterol Testing Unit

Malcolm Nicholls Limited (MNL) was asked by a leading design company to manufacture a medical 3d print which was a series of testing units. Utilising our low-volume production techniques our client wanted to be able to bridge the gap from prototype to mass production.

The client supplied MNL with full 3D CAD in STL format. This data was used to 3D print all of the components to make one full set of the testing units, the process chosen was Stereolithography(SLA) due to its ability to build larger components in one build also giving a better surface finish to work from. Once all of the components were built, they were given to MNL’s highly experienced team of model makers to finish to a variety of levels, from light spark (soft texture) to exceptionally high levels of gloss.

Once all finishing levels were completed these models were to be used as a pattern for MNL’s soft tooling process (Silicone tooling). Tools are available in multi-cavity versions in order to produce larger quantities quicker and more economically. Metal inserts are used to hold tight tolerances in bores and critical areas. From the tools, various materials were cast, from a rigid ABS-type material for the main body, on the hand held units through to an elastomer over mould. For the main unit, a semi-transparent material was required with a small degree of tint. From data to desk, this project was completed in a very tight timeframe.

Medical 3D Print Case Study- What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a soft wax-like fatty substance found in all parts of the body.

Our body needs a little bit of cholesterol to work properly, but too much cholesterol can be harmful as it forms a fatty plaque which can clog your arteries.