【3D Printing News】New Applications for Medical Aids: Flexible Material Tested for Super Flexibility!
In recent years, the application range of 3D printing has not only become more widespread, but thanks to many industrial and commercial pioneers who took the lead in trying it out, 3D printing technology has gradually entered the medical industry to play a greater role. In addition to the pre-operative communication models we shared previously (further reading: Humanizing Clinical Teaching, A New Driver for Doctor-Patient Relationships!), more and more wearable assistive devices are now made using 3D printing. This time, 3DMart will demonstrate the effectiveness of rigid material and new flexible material 3D printed wrist braces! First, let's take a look at the elasticity of the soft material:
We found two styles of splints and wrist braces on a 3D open-source model site, suitable for flexible and rigid material printing, respectively. In Cura's preview, it can be seen that the flexible material only needs to be printed flat. (Further reading: Free Resources, No Reservations! Here are 5 Major 3D Model Libraries!)
We used the latest Ultimaker S5 and S3 in tandem, printing with both simultaneously to save time. The latest Ultimaker S3 on the right can be considered a mini version of the S5; in addition to being equipped with glass door panels and a full touchscreen, it also upgraded the feeder gears and filament detection that the older Ultimaker 3 lacked, allowing it to print abrasive materials and composites. (Further reading: More Powerful, Smaller Size: Ultimaker S3 New Release!)
Since the wrist brace design must have many ventilation holes, we used an elastic wrist brace to test the effect of a third-party TPU. After completing the print with the Ultimaker S5 3D printer, no additional trimming was needed. This TPU showed almost no stringing, and the appearance of the finished product was satisfying. Let's see how it works when worn!
The hard wrist brace has an opening on the left side, making it slightly expandable for easy donning and doffing; the splint is paired with Velcro straps, with three strap holes on each side. The thumb can directly enter the hole.
The tested elasticity of the TPU flexible material allows the wrist brace to flex and conform to the palm and fix it, and effectively provides sufficient resistance to prevent the patient from further injury due to daily activities.
However, the demonstrator's hand is relatively large, and it feels that when 3D printing medical aids, designing the bottom surface that contacts the platform as an arc would be more comfortable; but the strength of the 3D printed product can indeed effectively control the activity of the affected area and be customized for different cases, improving medical quality and speed. Perhaps in the future, you can even engrave your commemorative signature!
Do you also have similar needs? Feel free to contact us and schedule an appointment to visit 3DMart to see these exciting application cases. We can provide you with relevant consultation and a thorough understanding of how to integrate 3D printers into your manufacturing process to maximize benefits. And this third-party TPU, which passed this test, will also be available soon! Stay tuned to 3DMart's FB fan page or latest news!
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