Printed Fixtures and Holders for Radiation and Sterilisation Workflows: Dose Stability, Contamination and Reuse

Printed fixtures and holders used during radiation or sterilisation become part of the treatment environment. They can shade a target, alter heat or gas access, generate particles or extractables, absorb radiation, deform, or accumulate damage over reuse cycles. Studies of gamma-irradiated and steam-sterilised photopolymer prints show that mechanical, dimensional and surface states can change with treatment and repetition. This review develops a qualification architecture for fixtures that separates process compatibility from the sterilisation or radiation validation of the product itself. The fixture is evaluated for geometry, cleanliness, material change and influence on delivered treatment; repeated-use claims require cycle-history tracking and reinspection. For radiation, dose mapping or attenuation assessment is required when the fixture can perturb the field. For thermal or chemical sterilisation, heat transfer, condensation, gas access and residues must be considered. The central conclusion is that a fixture is acceptable only when it remains functionally stable and does not compromise the process it supports.

ER-288 · Version 0.3.