APPLIED SCIENCES, cilt.14, sa.2, ss.2-17, 2024 (SCI-Expanded)
The aim of this study is to introduce a new filament and novel 3D printing technique to
adjust the density of a printing job in order to mimic the radiological properties of different tissues. We
used a special filament, LightWeight PLA (LW-PLA), which utilizes foaming technology triggered by
temperature. Cylindrical samples were printed at various temperatures, flow rates, print speeds, and
diameters. A computed tomography (CT) scan was performed to identify their radiological properties
in terms of the mean Hounsfield Unit (HU). The densities of the samples ranged from 0.36 g/cm3
to 1.21 g/cm3, corresponding to mean HU values between −702.7 ± 13.9 HU and +141.4 ± 7.1 HU.
Strong linear correlations were observed between the flow rate and density as well as the flow rate
and mean HU. The axial homogeneity of the samples was reported as being comparable to that of
distilled water. A reduction in the mean HU was observed at a lower print speed and it changed
slightly with respect to the sample size. Reproducibility assessments confirmed consistent results for
identical printing jobs. Comparisons with regular PLA samples revealed a superior homogeneity
in the LW-PLA samples. The findings of this study suggest a practical and accessible solution for
mimicking all of the soft tissues, including the lungs, by using a single filament.