LAHORE, May 23: The University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar, has developed a rapid prototyping machine (RPM) that can produce the exact models of various body parts and different instruments used in surgery.

In order to introduce the machine, the University of Health Sciences in collaboration with the Peshawar UET organized a seminar on “From concept to reality — an introduction to the rapid prototyping machine” here on Monday.

Giving a briefing on the machine, UET’s mechanical engineering department chairman Dr M.A. Irfan said the RPM with its customized software and three dimensional camera/scanner unit could automatically construct physical models from computer-aided design data. It would allow designers to quickly create tangible prototypes of their designs.

He said the RPM could give reality to any conceptual model. Citing an example, he said, this machine could develop accurate models including those of brain, heart, kidney, bones, biomedical engineering tools, dental and surgical equipment and industrial products within three to four hours.

He said the RPM models created excellent visual aids for communicating ideas with co-workers, students and customers. The prototypes were extremely useful for design testing.

He said the input material to this machine was a special kind of plastic called PC/APC. The machine prepared the prototypes layer by layer on a molecular level, thus ensuring high precision and quality.

By attaching a 3D camera with the machine, he said, the prototype of any equipment/model could be produced by taking its picture. He said the machine could be used in glass, auto parts, mould, aircraft and design industry as well as by architectural firms.

A documentary about the working of the machine was also shown on the occasion. Different models made by the RPM were also displayed.

UHS Vice-Chancellor Prof Malik Husain Mubashar and Peshawar UET VC Syed Imtiaz Husain Gilani also spoke on the occasion.