| Abstrak/Abstract |
3D-printed nasopharyngeal swabs for medical sample collection have been manufactured
via additive manufacturing (AM), evaluated, and characterized in the present study. A multi-part
component of nasopharyngeal swabs was proposed, in which the swab and handle were manufactured separately to reach sustainable production and environmentally friendly products. The swab
was investigated using tensile, flexural, surface roughness, dimensional accuracy, and sample collection testing. The influence of printing parameters and post-curing time treatment on the mechanical
properties, surface roughness, and dimensional accuracy of 3D-printed nasopharyngeal swabs were
also evaluated. The result showed that 3D-printed nasopharyngeal swab shows outstanding tensile
strength compared to the commercial flock nasopharyngeal swab. Moreover, the swab neck flexibility test showed that both PLA and dental non-castable 3D-printed nasopharyngeal swabs were
able to bend 180◦
. Subsequently, the surface roughness of 3D-printed nasopharyngeal swab was
identic with the commercial flock nasopharyngeal swab. The proposed 3D-printed nasopharyngeal
swab design could carry an artificial mucus sample of 141.6 mg at a viscosity of 9455.4 mPa.s. The
cost to fabricate a 3D-printed nasopharyngeal swab was estimated at USD0.01–0.02 per swab. 3Dprinted nasopharyngeal swab shows potential as a feasible option, greener, less medical waste, and
more sustainable.
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