Introduction: For a long time, molding was one of the most important methods of producing metal, ceramic, and polymer materials. The two essential factors in this method were always cost and time. Nowadays, with a computer and additive manufacturing technology, you can design in 3D. This article describes how to reduce the time and cost to get the final product using 3D-Printers. The design and production of molds for premature neonatal respiratory aid, called "Prong," were applied based on neonatologists' considerations.
Method: This study is performed in Alzahra hospital in Tabriz University on fifteen very low birth neonates from September 2017 till September 2019. In the first section, we described dental plaster material for molding. To use this material, select the printing material to control the parameters, including melting temperature and printer speed, so that the final sample results with acceptable quality. If the final three-dimensional design is suitable, various objects can be printed using CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software.
Results: By using additive manufacturing technology, we achieved a new design with a little creativity and trial and error, and we also solved bubble problems at a low cost. So, we designed some cavities in the new mold to ensure that silicon takes up all of the mold space and provides a way to exit the bubble in the silicon.
Conclusion: To achieve an optimal and final design for prong mold. Using 3D printers helps us reduce production costs and time and optimize the design. Finally, the CNC machine produced the ultimate mold made of aluminum. We tested the final product in Al-Zahra Hospital in Tabriz in Iran, and the results were satisfactory, and there were no reports of necrosis on the babies' noses.