Through my prosthetics class at RIT, I was given an introduction to the field, where I was able to research and gain knowledge of prosthetics.
Plaster
In order to cast a face in plaster, there is a five-step process. The process includes:
Securing hair underneath a swim cape and covering all visible hair on the face with Vaseline or Aquaphor.
The Jeltrate is quickly mixed and poured over the face until it is spread evenly to cover the whole face except the nostril holes and the straw hole.
Hard plaster strips are dipped into water to almost liquefy them so they can be laid on top of the Jeltrate to stick to the face.
Liquid plaster is then brushed over it to fill in the gaps and give the face a nice smooth finish.
Then you wait until the plaster is cool to touch to take it off the face.
Sculpting
Once the plaster cast was taken off the face, I blocked the nose with clay before filling the inside of the cast with plaster. Once my personal plaster cast dried, I removed the placeholder nose and while using a new mound of clay, I began to sculpt my nose onto my plaster cast by referencing the pictures I took of my nose from every angle.
Molds For Silicone
In order to make my silicone nose, I had to create a two-part mold for it. Using Labstone dental stone, an all-purpose stone that can withstand high heat temperatures and be strong enough as the template for silicone, I was able to make the mold.
After spraying both halves of the mold with mold release, RTV (Room Temperature Vulcanizing Silicone), I poured silicone into the molds which were then heated in an oven and dried at room temperature until the silicone was not tacky to touch.
After it solidified, I was able to pull both halves apart and take the silicone nose out of the mold, giving me a silicone replica of my nose.
Coloration
I made a mix to create the silicone that will then be poured into the two halves of the Labstone dental molds. This is where I could decide to either keep the original clear color or where I could add paints to mix into the silicone to give it a translucent color that is closer to my skin tone.
Molds For Silicone
My silicone ear was based on my ear that I modeled out of clay from pictures of my ear. I made a three-part mold using Labstone dental stone again by sectioning the clay ear off in parts using special wax. I then filled a side of the mold one at a time, letting it dry, and then repeated the process for the other two parts.
After spraying both halves of the mold with mold release, RTV (Room Temperature Vulcanizing Silicone), I poured silicone into the molds which were then heated in an oven and dried at room temperature until the silicone was not tacky to touch.
After it solidified, I was able to pull the three sections apart and take the silicone ear out of the mold, giving me a silicone replica of my ear.
3D Printed Appliance
I worked on an independent project, exploring an area of interest in prosthetics as well as researched appropriate materials and processes that this product could be made out of. I researched online for information on my topic and I also kept a design research journal that included representational images I found as well as sketches to describe my process and finished product.
From here I created a plan about how to physically created my appliance through the use of molds, silicone, and 3D printing.
This process included researching my specific topic, making an earbud that is specific to fitting people who have ear canal stenosis, and sculpting my own ear. I was able to use my own ear for this project as I have a baby ear canal that is narrow similar to ear canal stenosis. After sculpting a clay ear, I made the three-part mold, enabling me to make silicone versions of my ear that were the base/guide so I could sculpt versions of my appliance to fit the ear.
I designed my earbud appliance in SolidWorks from the dimensions from the clay model I made, which then made it possible for me to 3D print my earbud appliance. I rendered this in KeyShot.
