Partner news: Materialise develop new Mimics® Innovation Suite software

March 2, 2016

In order for FEA simulations to yield reliable results, it is critical to capture sufficient geometrical detail in your models. When studying bony structures for example, the results you obtain from assuming homogenous material properties in the bone, might significantly differ from a more detailed simulation, where you use the actual trabecular bone structure as input. Dr. William Parr from the University of New South Wales, Australia wanted to compare these two approaches for the calcaneus bone in the ankle.
Due to its highly complex geometry, converting a micro-CT scan of trabecular bone into a high quality FEA mesh, while maintaining geometrical accuracy is pushing the limits of existing meshing technologies. This is where Dr. Parr worked together with Materialise’s R&D team, who were working on new meshing algorithms to find easier ways to create complex trabecular bone FEA meshes. The results of this and several other collaborations have resulted in a series of meshing improvements which are included in Materialise’s upcoming Mimics® Innovation Suite 19.0 release, making them available to all its users.
The Materialise Mimics® Innovation Suite allows you to process image data (CT, micro-CT, MRI, 3D Ultrasound) to construct accurate 3D models. With the powerful segmentation tools you can segment your medical images, take measurements, simulate surgeries and engineer directly on your 3D model.
Once your 3D model is constructed, you can work directly on your .stl files to make complex designs like implants that perfectly fit anatomy. Once your design is ready, you can easily optimize meshes for FEA or CFD.
Please visit medical.materialise.com for more information.