Josh Stephenson
Josh Stephenson with his umbrella handle and 3D printed skull
There have been many words written extolling the virtues 3D printing offers towards advances in healthcare. Additive technologies have been applied to many patient specific devices whether that is in order to aid with surgery in the case of medical modelling or improve lives as seen with thousands of 3D printed prosthesis in use. A recent talk at the London-based 3D printing specialists Digits2Widgets showcased how medical 3D printing has not only helped reconstruct a man’s face but also reinvigorate his career.
In 2009 Josh Stephenson, a graduate of the Royal College of Art, was diagnosed with malignant melanoma – a type of skin cancer which can spread to other organs. After unsuccessful radiotherapy treatment Josh went on to have drastic surgery to remove his left eye, upper left jaw and roof of his mouth. The reconstruction process was extensive and required the expertise Dr. Andrew Dawood of Dawood & Tanner clinic, who have been using 3D printing in dentistry since 1999 and is the founder of Digits2Widgets (D2W).
“Josh had a life threatening cancer behind his eye, he received fantastic treatment at Moorfields Eye Hospital and the Royal London Hospital from surgeons Dr David Verity and Professor Iain Hutchison.” Dawood told TCT. “I was required to be part of the reconstruction process using dental implants, we used both 3D printing and digital milling technology to make the reconstruction as accurate and seamless as possible.”
Dawood & Tanner has become synonymous with hi-tech dentistry having worked on many high profile reconstruction cases. Josh’s surgery required all the digital expertise Andrew and his team have acquired over two decades; scanning, digital modelling, 3D printing, milling and more; though it is the 3D printing that catches the headlines, Dawood thinks it is a long way from a complete technology:
“We mostly use milling technology rather than strictly 3D printing. We use mills in restoration, which are fitted onto 3D printed models. The ideal scenario for us in implant dentistry is a hybrid technology that combines the worlds of 3D printing in metals for structures, which are then milled for precise mechanical connections. 3D printing is no magical tool; we've been using it consistently and steadily for years. Ten years ago I thought we'd be where we are now, in hindsight if I’d have thought it would take us a decade to get to where we are now I might not have bothered!”
Like many long-in-the-tooth 3D printing users Andrew’s attitude towards 3D printing is slightly curmudgeonly, the technology has, after all, only incrementally improved in the some 17 years since he first invested in it. But its ability to inspire those who have been less exposed to technology must never be underestimated and it is such stimulation that makes Josh’s story even more wonderful.
Getting a grip
3D Printed Umbrella Handles
3D Printed Umbrella Handles
After the technology had aided in his facial reconstruction Josh and Andrew became quite close. He accompanied Andrew to a conference talk on how 3D printing was enlisted in his surgery, Josh was able to hold the 3D printed model of his own skull and it was there and then that Josh had his eureka moment:
“I have worked in the design industry for 25 years since graduating from the RCA in 1990, specialising in fashion accessories and luxury gifts.” Josh told TCT. “I have long had the idea of creating luxury umbrellas with handles that have some character but due to costs involved in setting up for injection moulding, it never seemed possible.”
Josh’s idea was to take beautiful objects used in other walks of life and adapt them to create modern curio style umbrella handles: “In design nothing is new,” said the designer who has worked for brands such as Hugo Boss, Laura Ashley, Aquascutum and Harrods. “Products are reworked and adapted to create something new, having a gut instinct about timing is a key importance to a designer.”
When he told Andrew Dawood about his idea, he instantly knew where to turn to, to bring this idea to life; his own 3D printing design studio Digits2Widgets (D2W): “Josh brought us objects he loved from his home that he thought would make an interesting basis for umbrella handles and our team helped make that a reality,” explained Dawood.
In the main those items were traditionally door furniture and other home items; crystal doorknobs, Bakelite handles, dog-headed corkscrews and the likes; all items Josh considered beautiful and perfect for re-purposing into umbrella handles, but how to get them into a printable file?
“All the items were all different materials, shapes and textures,” explained the Design Director at D2W, Jonathan Rowley. “The idea was initially to try to scan them all but some of the objects were easier to draw in CAD from scratch. The crystal doorknobs are faceted transparent spheres, transparent is difficult to scan, because of this and its nice geometric shape we said ‘forget about scanning it would be easier to draw this.'"
It would be easy to forget the product design intricacies involved in manufacturing an umbrella handle, particularly those smaller collapsible ones ladies often produce from handbags on feeling an initial droplet hit a recently coiffured hairdo.
“The handles of collapsible umbrellas are very sophisticated,” said Rowley. “They have a recessed collar around the top of the handle that allow the spokes of the umbrella to clip in, holding it together and features like chords that allow you to dangle it off your wrist. We had a good look at these existing design features, the shapes and size of Josh’s original pieces went pretty much untouched but at the drawing stage we added in features like thoses recesses and channels so that you could pop the chord through, come out the bottom, take it back through and knot.”
Josh Stephenson and Jonathan Rowley talk through the designs
Josh Stephenson and Jonathan Rowley talk through the designs
A few print iterations later in order to perfect the ergonomics, and Josh’s umbrella handles were ready to print. D2W used both SLS and SLA technologies to make the final pieces, the nylon SLS printed pieces were vibro-finished and died black and the metallic looking pieces were printed in SLA and spray-chromed. The results are unique fashionable umbrellas that would not be out of place in the upmarket stores Josh once worked for but it’s not just old household objects that have been given a new lease of life thanks to 3D printing:
“This is a designer who had been out of the picture with illness for a little while,” added Andrew Dawood. “Josh has seen all this 3D manufacturing technology being brought to bear on his medical condition and is now using it to get himself back in to the working world.”