3D printing – the future of assistive device manufacturing?

It appears to be magic: seemingly out of nowhere, modern 3D printers not only create shapes and figures, but also entire kits for technical devices. The assistive technology industry is recognizing the almost infinite possibilities of 3D printing. From customized prostheses to ergonomic seat cushions – the future of this technology has only just begun.

Most of us only have a very rough idea of what 3D printing is and how it works. While the technology was able to elicit a rush of attention when it was introduced a few years ago, it has now become more of a marginal phenomenon of public interest. However, 3D printing is currently doing more than ever before and could play a significant role in the manufacture of a wide range of products in the future – including in the assistive technology sector.

The benefits of 3D printing

But how does 3D printing differ from conventional manufacturing processes? It starts even before the actual production: Conventional production processes often require the preparation of physical templates and molds for the subsequent products. This makes the production of complex pieces difficult and cumbersome. Alternatively, special machines have to be built and configured to produce the same products over and over again – a costly and unsustainable approach. The production of individual one-off pieces is hardly possible on an industrial scale and pieces made by hand are generally very expensive and the corresponding master craftspeople are not evenly distributed to meet local needs.

3D printing offers suitable solutions to all these problems – at least in theory. The Danish company Create it REAL, which produces assistive devices and other products using 3D printing, has also recognized this. Marketing Manager Mette Kristensen says: "The synergy between 3D printing and assistive technology is evident, given that 3D printing excels in mass customization. It checks all the boxes for sustainable production with zero waste."

Molds and templates for 3D printing are created entirely on the computer. This not only saves material, but also allows custom-made products to be planned and produced in a resource-saving manner. Only when the desired product makes a perfect impression on the computer is the print job sent to the printer. Depending on requirements, the printer then uses different plastics such as polylactide (PLA), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) or polyether ether ketone (PEEK) to create the product precisely to the specifications. And if the tools required to join different parts together, for example, are missing, these can also be easily produced using 3D printing. In this way, both one-off productions and – given the appropriate number of 3D printers – mass productions can be realized.

In addition to insoles, seat cushions and corrective supports, Create it REAL also produces corsets using 3D printing. The recently launched TRACKY project aims to demonstrate that the circular economy has also found its way into the assistive technology industry and that sustainable manufacturing processes can be the future of the industry.

With the TRACKY project, Create it REAL has set itself five goals:

• Recycling old materials for new orthopedic corsets
• Tracking information on the type and origin of recycled materials
• Monitoring production quality to meet the required standards
• Demonstration and validation of the feasibility of using recycled materials in 3D printing, particularly in fuse deposition modeling (FDM)
• Demonstrating the benefits for end users in terms of costs and resources

Jeremie Gay, founder and CTO of Create it REAL, explains the challenges of the project: "This is entirely new ground. Until now, we have only been recycling polypropylene one time. We are particularly interested in how it behaves after the fourth, fifth, or many more times reuses. Do we need to auto-adjust how we print to maintain the material quality and maximize the times it can be reused? Can we reuse it forever under the right conditions? Can we track those conditions? This is what we want to answer with the TRACKY project."

But what advantages does the process offer for people with disabilities, to whom the products described are ultimately aimed? The answer involves two factors that are likely to be painfully familiar to those affected: costs and customizability.

Costs: It is true that high-quality 3D printers are still relatively expensive to purchase. But once in place, they can dramatically reduce material and production costs for companies. The FDM used by Create it REAL in particular is considered a relatively inexpensive manufacturing process. Companies can then pass on the lower costs to their customers, who benefit from cheaper devices.

Customizability: Assistive devices such as prostheses, wheelchairs or walking aids are usually mass-produced products that are then – as far as possible – individually adapted to the user. However, these adaptations are not always satisfactory. Using 3D printing, assistive devices can be individually designed and produced right from the start. Devices that cause uncertainty due to incorrect adjustments or even pose a health risk, for example due to pressure sores, could therefore be a thing of the past.

Less stress for children

Customizability plays a particularly important role when it comes to assistive devices for children. rahm GmbH has also been exploring the possibilities of 3D printing for several years.

"In the field of pediatric prosthetics, the need to use the new technology arose due to a lack of good alternatives. Functional care – especially for very young users – was often not satisfactorily doable. Here, the combination of high functionality with a child-friendly design and the possibility of computer-aided load simulation led to great results," explained André Dick, Head of Digital Orthopedics Technology at rahm Zentrum für Gesundheit & Mobilität, in an interview with REHACARE.com at the beginning of 2023.

The lightweight and child-friendly design also leads to a high level of acceptance among children with disabilities. "Growth-related adjustments are easier and a plaster cast is no longer necessary thanks to the scanning technology. This is significantly less stressful for the whole family. By combining all the advantages, we can achieve good functionality," added Dick.

What does the future hold?

Projects such as TRACKY and the success of rahm show the potential of 3D printing, but also the paths that still need to be taken to evaluate and tap into this potential. 3D printing is still mostly only used to produce individual items or prototypes, but not for mass production. Many companies are still too uncertain about the possibilities, the risk and the cost-benefit ratio of this still young manufacturing process. In order to future-proof 3D printing and identify potential risk factors, Create it REAL is working with small start-ups.

"Create it REAL is a technology partner, and we create these solutions in partnership with industry pioneers who are driven by making a digital transformation. We combine domain knowledge from our industry partners with our technology capabilities and take partners' ambitions to the next level," says Mette Kristensen.

Matthias Groß
REHACARE.com