Precautions after Getting Anatomical Models

Hello Everyone

In this blog we are going to tell you that how to take care of the items you get of each different materials, such as PLA,PETG and TPU, when they reach at your home, your environment and in between your peers. Wear the gloves and we will find out how to take care of models of different materials, straight upto your lab. 

• IF you haven't read our different types of filaments, you can read it here.

1. Temperature & Storage Rules

First of all we will start from Heat, yes a heat.

Models starts to deform, initialise from their glass transition, where they starts to melt even when you blow a hot air from dryer. It happens for PLA. Let me tell you from my experience, I was making a mini plane model, approx 100mm(10 cms/3 inch), I completed paint job and started applying epoxy and kept aside to let them dry, later I thought if I want to dry it quickly I should use hair dryer. I started to blow it from 2 feet distance.

That was my worst mistake I made. Suddenly The wings and tailwings started to deform, as I mentioned Glass Transition, the wings turns its shape from linear to sigmoid/S shape. I was worried and scared why this happened. Later figured out heat made this thing deform. After that the plane wings was not came into shape. I made a new one, it was successful.

Lets talk about materials

Different materials have vastly different tolerances to environmental factors like heat and sunlight.

• PLA (Polylactic Acid): Keep it Cool

  • The Risk: PLA has a low glass transition temperature (~50–60°C).

  • Precaution: Advise customers never to leave PLA models in a hot car, near a radiator, or under intense, direct sunlight. They will warp, sag, or lose structural accuracy.

• PETG: The Outdoor Survivor (With a Catch)

  • The Advantage: PETG handles heat much better (~75–80°C) and is highly UV resistant.

  • Precaution: While it won't melt in a warm room, it can still creep or deform under sustained load in high heat.

• TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane): Flexible but UV Sensitive

  • Precaution: TPU models (often used for flexible joints, organs, or tissue replication) should be kept away from prolonged direct UV light, which can cause the material to yellow or degrade over time.

2. Mechanical Handling & Drop Precautions

Our box has handwritten/sticker based warning, is handle with care. All model can break at their breaking point, some break easily in hand while some break at dropping from certain height. 

I made a fountain, having 20% infill ratio and 3 wall loops. The fountain was working well. One day I kept it in balcony after doing his job, and was kept at the edge, later it was dropped from 5 feet, the tower broken.

Also I made an anatomical heart from PETG, for my customer, during the packaging, It dropped from my hand accidently and it was not broken, because it was 50% infill and 3 wall loops. It was heavy though. But safely sent to customer, without any dents and all the defects.

Anatomical models often feature delicate, protruding structures (e.g., spinal processes, thin bone bridges, vascular networks).

• PLA: Rigid but Brittle

  • Precaution: PLA is highly rigid, making it great for showcasing fine bone details. However, it is brittle. If dropped on a hard floor, delicate parts will snap. Advise handling over padded surfaces during demonstrations.

• PETG: Impact Resistant

  • Precaution: PETG has excellent layer adhesion and impact resistance. It survives accidental drops much better than PLA, making it ideal for high-use educational tools.

• TPU: Durable but Don't Overstretch

  • Precaution: TPU is nearly indestructible by drops, but customers should be cautioned against over-stretching or pulling thin, flexible geometries beyond their intended range of motion, which could cause tearing.

3. Cleaning and Sanitization

Since these are anatomical models, they will be handled frequently. Customers need to know how to clean them without destroying the plastic or any painted details.

• The Golden Rule: Avoid the Dishwasher

  • Never wash any 3D-printed model in a dishwasher. The combination of high heat and intense water pressure will ruin the model's dimensions.

• The Safe Method: Lukewarm Water & Soap

  • Use lukewarm (not hot) water and mild dish soap.

  • For intricate details or layer lines where oils from hands can trap dirt, a soft-bristled toothbrush works perfectly.

• Chemical Warnings (Alcohol & Solvents)

  • PLA & PETG: Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) in low concentrations (70%) is generally safe for a quick wipe-down, but prolonged exposure can stress the plastic.

  • TPU: Be cautious with harsh solvents, as they can alter the tactile feel or degrade the flexibility of the elastomer.

  • Note: Warn against using acetone or strong chemical bleach, which can melt or severely discolor the models

4. The Hidden Hazards: Burning, Fumes, & Heat Decompositions

While your models are completely safe sitting on a desk, things change if they get too close to an open flame or intense heat.

• The Burning Reality: If a model catches fire, it’s not just a ruined print—it’s a hazard. PLA smells faintly sweet (like burnt corn) when overheated, but PETG and TPU can release pungent, irritating plastic fumes.

• The Melt Factor: Beyond open flames, leaving a model near a space heater, a soldering iron, or a high-wattage desk lamp can cause it to decompose and slump, releasing low-level Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).

• The Rule: Keep all models strictly away from high-heat sources. They are visual aids, not heat shields.

5. The Bacteria & Food Safety Myth: "But It's Just Plastic, Right?"

This is a massive point of confusion for buyers. PLA is made from cornstarch, and PETG is technically a cousin of the plastic water bottles we drink from. Because of this, people often assume they are food-safe or completely hygienic. They aren't.

• The Layer Line Trap: FDM (filament) 3D printing creates models layer by layer. Under a microscope, those beautiful models look like a staircase. Those tiny ridges and microscopic gaps are absolute luxury hotels for bacteria, moisture, and dead skin cells.

• Food Safety: Never use these models as food toppers, props for eating, or anything involving raw food contact. They cannot be properly sanitized to food-safe standards because you cannot wash them with water hot enough to kill bacteria without melting the model itself.

• The Takeaway: Wash your hands after prolonged study sessions, and treat the models like any other high-touch classroom or office object.

6. Kids and Pets: Keeping the Little Ones Safe

Anatomical models are fascinating, which means kids and pets will want to touch them. Here’s how to keep both the models and your loved ones safe:

• The Choking Hazard: Anatomical models often have intricate, sharp, or small parts (think individual vertebrae, small bone keychains, or thin vascular structures). If a PLA model drops and breaks, it can create incredibly sharp plastic shards. Keep small models completely out of reach of children under 3.

• The Pet Problem: Dogs love the texture of 3D prints—especially flexible TPU models, which feel suspiciously like chew toys. Keep your models behind glass or high on a shelf. If a pet chews up a model, ingestion of the sharp plastic pieces can cause severe internal blockages or injuries requiring emergency vet visits.

7. What If You Have a Resin (SLA) Model?

If you also offer high-detail resin models (or if your customers own them), the care rules change completely. Resin models are gorgeous, but they require total respect.

• The Toxic Truth (Before Curing): As a shop, you handle the messy part, but customers should know that uncured liquid resin is highly toxic, a skin irritant, and terrible for the environment. Once we ship a model to a customer, it is 100% fully cured and safe to handle with bare hands.

• Sunlight is the Enemy: Unlike PETG, which handles the sun like a champ, resin models hate UV light. If a cured resin model sits on a sunny windowsill, it will continue to "over-cure." Over time, it will become incredibly brittle, lose its color, and eventually crack or shatter.

• Cleaning Restrictions: Never use harsh chemicals or leave a resin model soaking in rubbing alcohol—it can degrade the surface finish and make the model structurally weak. A dry microfiber cloth is all it needs

Bonus - DO and DONT