Open Source Toolkit for Micro-Model Generation Using 3D Printing Conference Paper uri icon

abstract

  • Abstract Here, we present an open source toolkit for the generation of micro-fabricated transparent models of porous media (micro-models) from image datasets using optically transparent 3D polymer additive manufacturing (3D printing or sintering). These micro-models serve as both a research and pedagogical tool, facilitating the direct visualization of drainage and imbibition within quasi-2D porous media, generated from a range of image modalities (e.g. thin section micrographs, CT orthoslices, and conventional digital photography). Written in the MATLAB language and readily extendible, this open source toolkit is intended to act as enabler for community research for the study of transport in a porous media. In this work, we demonstrate the toolkit's capabilities using X-ray micro-tomographic image data. Orthoslices of scanned rocks (Berea sandstone) are cropped and segmented (binarized), then used to generate watertight 3D meshes of micro-models, which are exported as stereolithography (.stl) files: a native format to most commercially available 3D printers. The generated models are self-contained, with the inlet-outlet ports, synthetic rock matrix and transparent viewing panels printed as a single integrated unit. The open source toolkit presented here offers a more accessible and adaptive approach to micromodel fabrication, when compared to conventional etched/molded equivalents, which require highly specialized manufacturing facilities. We suggest that the availability of such a toolset will act as a major enabler for community research in porous media transport phenomena, allowing experimental quasi-2D pore networks to be generated rapidly and cost effectively using readily available additive manufacturing technologies.

name of conference

  • Day 4 Thu, June 14, 2018

published proceedings

  • Day 4 Thu, June 14, 2018

author list (cited authors)

  • Seers, T. D., & Alyafei, N.

citation count

  • 6

complete list of authors

  • Seers, Thomas D||Alyafei, Nayef

publication date

  • January 2018