Digital Modeling to Rapid Prototyping of a Human Hand Model 2003-01-2185

This paper describes the study performed to build an accurate and reliable digital model of a human hand. A mould was manufactured using alginate contact-safe rubber and a plaster model made. The model was digitized using a contact probe system with 0.02-mm chordal tolerance, 0.2-mm stepover and 0.2 mm nominal pitch and the CAD model created. This model was used to manufacture CNC, SLA, SLS and LOM prototypes. Overall, CNC prototyping revealed, for this purpose, the adequate choice, since a lower cost and a less delivery time was obtained with this technology. The procedure developed allowed very accurate digital and prototype models of the human hand and can be applied to manufacture other type of anatomical models of the human body.