PhD research at the University of Stavanger (UiS) demonstrated how 3D printing can move from promising prototypes to practical clinical tools-accelerating surgical planning today and advancing the design of tomorrow’s bio-friendly implants.
The work is multi-disciplinary between two UiS departments, Department of Mechanical and Structural Engineering and Materials Science and Department of Chemistry, Bioscience and Environmental Engineering. Part of the project was completed in collaboration with Stavanger University Hospital (SUH).
Yosef W. Adugna defended his PhD thesis on September 12, 2025 at Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Stavanger. The thesis is entitled Additive Manufacturing Technologies in Clinical and Tissue Engineering Applications – Workflow Validation, Anatomical Accuracy, Orthopedic Modeling, and Functional Scaffold Design (UiS PhD Thesis No. 882, 2025), and research was conducted from August 2021 to June 2025. The study unites engineering design, medical imaging, and experimental biocompatibility studies into one coherent push for point-of-care 3D printing in a Norwegian hospital setting. The thesis was supervised by Prof. Hirpa Lemu from Department of Mechanical and Structural Engineering and Materials Science and Assoc. Prof. Hanne Hageland from Department of Chemistry, Bioscience and Environmental Engineering.
A three-part contribution
- Validated, cost-aware “scan-to-print” workflows for anatomy.
The research shows that accurate patient anatomy can be reconstructed from CT scanned data using accessible toolchains, then manufactured on mainstream printers with sub-millimetre accuracy. Point-cloud deviation mapping and Hausdorff analysis across multiple 3D scanners confirmed root mean square errors within clinical tolerance (< 1 mm)-a critical bar when surgeons rely on tiny fracture lines or implant fit. The work also stresses full-pipeline validation, including the impact of post-processing, not only digital models. - A 24-hour CT-to-print pathway for hip-fracture planning-tested with SUH.
In emergency orthopedics, time is treatment. Working with SUH orthopedics, the team mapped personnel, imaging, segmentation, and printing into a reproducible pathway that enables pre-operative 3D models within 24 hours-aligned to SUH’s fast-track for proximal femoral fractures. Clinician feedback highlighted greatest value for medium and complex cases. - Toward bio-friendly, patient-specific implants using TPMS lattices.
On the materials side, the thesis explores stereolithography (SLA) triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) scaffolds, including functionally graded designs. It explores 3D-printed lattice scaffolds and process optimization as foundations for patient-specific implants that balance mechanical performance with biological compatibility.
Why this matters now
- Clinicians gain faster, clearer pre-op planning-particularly when 2D images obscure complex 3D geometry. Physical models help align the team, support residents’ learning, and offer a safe rehearsal environment for complex fixes.
- Patients and families get more understandable explanations of injuries and options-an often-overlooked dimension of care.
- Hospitals can consider cost-aware toolchains that are robust enough for clinical tasks yet realistic for medium-sized institutions like SUH.
The project demonstrates how UiS engineering and life-science units can co-develop with stakeholders such as SUH orthopedic surgeons to solve real workflow bottlenecks: shortening time-to-model without compromising accuracy and making printed models truly usable under clinical time pressure.
MSc and BSc Supervision during the PhD research
Alongside the thesis, Yosef W. Adugna supervised three master’s and two bachelor’s projects, expanding the impact from research papers to student-led projects.
Spotlight: a tactile lumbar-puncture (LP) training simulator (Master’s, 2024).
A UiS master’s project developed a 3D-printed lumbar-spine trainer combined with alginate-based soft-tissue mimics to teach lumbar-puncture technique. The simulator integrates palpable bony landmarks (spinous processes, iliac crests), a replaceable puncture block, and a cerebrospinal-fluid system. Seven soft-tissue layers were engineered with tunable alginate hydrogels and characterized by rheometry and tensile tests to approximate viscoelastic behavior. An experienced clinician performed multiple punctures and rated the model useful for training and education, with actionable refinements noted (e.g., skin stiffness, thickness above spinous processes, and watertight joints). Øyvind Dalane Time, Master’s thesis, 2024.