News and Events

Leuven, Belgium, November 25, 2009. Materialise NV, which develops the medical image processing solution Mimics®, the worldwide leading tool to convert MRI/CT data to accurate 3D models, joined forces with SkyScan, one of the world's leading producers of micro-CT systems. To respond to the needs of the rapidly growing micro-CT market, both companies will combine their strengths to offer a total solution to engineer and to perform non-destructive research in 3D on micro-level.

SkyScan is widely renowned for its expertise and innovative role in the development of micro-CT hardware. The company specializes in the development and manufacturing of systems for non-destructive investigation of an object's internal microstructure, called micro-CT. In this field, SkyScan has an experience of more than twenty years. Their scan systems come with an in-house developed software package, allowing you to cut virtual sections or even fly through samples non-destructively.

Materialise has an expertise of over 20 years in the development of software for biomedical research and development starting from scanner data. Its powerful software solution, Mimics Innovation Suite, turns 2D scan images into an accurate 3D model. Moreover, the Materialise software solution allows 3D models to be modified, optimized for finite element analysis or reverse engineered.

Responding to the demands from the growing community of micro-CT users, Materialise and SkyScan decided to join forces. Thanks to this collaboration, new fields of biomedical, technical component, porous media and material research can be explored. By combining the technologies of both companies micro-CT data users now have a total solution to perform non-destructive research on micro-CT data in 3D at their disposal. SkyScan enables to accurately capture internal micro structures through their pioneering role in micro-CT hardware. The Materialise technology generates 3D models from the 2D micro-CT scan data, allows to calculate 3D statistical porosity information and to create optimized FE meshes or reverse engineer the part to a CAD model. This way the micro-CT data can be used for all different sorts of applications such as biological tissue research, technical component analysis, geological flow analysis, geometrical comparisons, material studies and many more.

“We are delighted to have entered this collaboration with SkyScan”, says Koen Engelborghs, Department Manager Biomedical Engineering & CAE at Materialise. “We noticed lately that there is an increasing demand for easy access to accurate image-based 3D models from micro-CT data. Thanks to this partnership, we are now able to offer the micro-CT market the solution they’ve been waiting for.”

“SkyScan's mission is to deliver the highest possible resolution in micro-CT scanning. In other words, we offer a technique to see the smallest details inside an object in 3D, without cutting the sample. To realize that, one needs profound scientific competences in research and product development. Besides the high-end hardware, specific software algorithms are crucial elements to realize the mission. It’s clear that this collaboration with Materialise fits perfectly in SkySCan’s customer intimacy strategy to offer current and potential end-users more tools to explore and solve their specific problems.” says Ludo Cox, Account Manager at SkyScan.

About SkyScan

SkyScan NV (founded in 1997) is one of the most important players worldwide specializing in three dimensional (3D) imaging of the internal microstructure of objects in a non-destructive, non-invasive way using micro-CT (Computer Tomography) technology. The instruments designed and produced by SkyScan open the possibility to look inside an object without cutting or any other sample preparation. The micro-CT scanners of SkyScan are used in a very broad field of applications: life science (e.g. bone and tissue), materials (metals, plastics, composites, foams, textiles, ceramics), electronic components, geological samples, wood, paper, seeds etc. Living small laboratory animals (mice and rats) can also be scanned for pre-clinical studies in human drug development.
The SkyScan products cover a broad range of applications, which is still growing. At our website www.skyscan.be one can take a look at several examples.