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Kiwi Companies Partner to Build Tailored 3D Printed Training Prosthetics for Female Para-Athletes

New Zealand-based Zenith Tecnica, which is the only company in the country using Electron Beam Melting (EBM) technology to make 3D printed titanium components, is teaming up with High Performance Sports NZ (HPSNZ) to give two inspiring Kiwi athletes a competitive edge for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. Through this collaboration, the two companies will produce tailored 3D printed prosthetics for esteemed para-athletes Anna Grimaldi and Holly Robinson to use while working out and training in the gym.

3D printing has been used multiple times to help disabled athletes get a leg up over their competition, with prosthetics and braces as some of the main applications. As Zenith Tecnica, headquartered in Auckland, has supplied EBM 3D printed titanium components to America’s Cup Regatta and Formula 1 teams, fabricated plenty of medical instruments and implants, and manufactured components in outer space, the company was more than up to the challenge of making advanced, tailored prosthetics for Grimaldi and Robinson.

“Zenith Tecnica 3D printed the new attachment for Holly and Anna to use in the gym,” said Dr Stafford Murray, HPSNZ Head of Innovation. “It’s providing them with something different that you can’t buy off the shelf, that enables them to be the best that they can be.”

The company utilizes the Arcam Q10 plus and Q20 plus systems to produce EBM parts for multiple industries. These 3D printers are built on breakthrough deflection electronics, which allow for extremely accurate, fast beam control so melting can occur simultaneously at more than one point, while still maintaining excellent speed, precision, and surface finish. In addition, its hot vacuum process means no residual stresses to distort the 3D printed components.

“Zenith Tecnica offers a freedom of design to a lot of engineers, so we are not constrained to classical manufacturing methods like machining and casting,” explained Peter Sefont, the Production Manager at Zenith Tecnica. “It allows us and the engineers to do whatever we want.”

Holly Robinson

HPSNZ is a leader in sports innovation, and works with National Sporting Organisations (NSOs) to identify athletes’ strengths and push them further with modern technology and sports science. By partnering with Zenith Tecnica and using its EBM titanium 3D printing expertise, the company is able to think about the possibilities of design in a new way and knock down any boundaries that would otherwise limit them.

“To have someone listen to what we need and be like, ‘Nothing is off the table, we can try and build whatever it is you need,’ that was really awesome,” Grimaldi said about the teamwork between HPSNZ and Zenith Tecnica.

These two fierce female para-athletes are simply amazing. Robinson won the silver medal in the Women’s Javelin F46 at both the Rio 2016 Paralympics and the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. She’s already thrown her personal best – 45.73 m – which was good enough to break the world record in the event at the Australian Track & Field Championships in Sydney this past weekend.

Grimaldi won the gold in the Women’s Long Jump T47 at the Rio 2016 Paralympics and came in fourth in the Women’s 100m T47 at the same competition. This coming June, both women will have an optimal opportunity to see if their new 3D printed training prosthetics can help them win at the 2019 Oceania Area and Combined Events Championships.

Raylene Bates, Athletics New Zealand high performance coach, said, “This is a piece of equipment that would enable them to train like an able-bodied person; granting the use of both arms with a full range of movement, achieving a full body balance.”

Anna Grimaldi

Of course, all of these competitions are a precursor to the main event both Robinson and Grimaldi are working towards – the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo. The hope is that through this partnership between Zenith Tecnica and HPSNZ, their new 3D printed titanium prosthetics will help them up their game while preparing for next year’s competition. Because these will be prosthetics tailored specifically to them, exercises and training methods that the para-athletes were previously unable to do because of previous off-the-shelf prosthetics should now be entirely possible…which means that gold medals are possible as well.

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3D Printing News Briefs: March 16, 2019

We’re starting with 3D software and medical 3D printing in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, and then moving on to stories about some cool 3D printed projects. Sinterit has updated the software for its SLS 3D printers, and Deutsche Bahn is increasing efficiency with software solutions by 3YOURMIND. Medical 3D printing is on the rise in Sri Lanka. A designer whose work we’ve previously covered used Carbon technology to 3D print a unique pair of heeled shoes, and an Indian company used 3D printing to reduce the production time for a 6 ft superhero.

Sinterit Releases New Software Update

Desktop SLS 3D printer manufacturer Sinterit just released a new update for its Studio software, which all Lisa and Lisa Pro 3D printer users will now be able to access for a better consumer experience. The update gives these users a lot of positive changes, including more detailed and precise 3D printing with its PA11 Onyx and TPU Flexa materials and optimized slicing, which makes it easier and faster to manipulate models, while also using less RAM.

Sinterit has also made it possible to stream video via WiFi from its 3D printers’ cameras, so users can keep an eye on their prints remotely. In addition, the 3D printers now have an easier step-by-step guide on the screen to make the startup procedure smoother, and a new “About” button on the menu is helpful for optimized model preparation inside Sinterit Studio.

Deutsche Bahn Using 3YOURMIND Software Solutions

German railway company Deutsche Bahn (DB) has been working hard over the last five years to continue developing its 3D printing division. Now, DB has joined industrial 3D printing software solutions provider 3YOURMIND in a strategic partnership in order to increase the efficiency of its 3D printing processes, and also determine possible 3D printing applications from around its company in order to assemble a digital spare parts warehouse. The Berlin-based company’s software platforms allow customers to exploit 3D printing potential with digital workflows, and 3YOURMIND supports DB’s ambition to expand its own additive manufacturing reach.

3YOURMIND’s software will give DB employees access to a simple digital interface so they’re able to quickly submit new ideas for 3D printable parts based on applications they encounter every day. Then, the platform provides an analysis and identifies uses cases with the highest production potential, before DB experts shine a spotlight on the employees and choose the best projects to send into production.

Medical 3D Printing in Sri Lanka

According to Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, the Health Minister for the South Asian island of Sri Lanka, 3D printing for health applications will now be available for the first time in the country beginning this month at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka (NHSL). Minister Senaratne made this announcement in Colombo – the country’s largest city – at the 26th Annual Scientific sessions of the College of Medical Administrators, stating that doctors can provide more personalized care by using modern technology like 3D printing.

In conjunction with this announcement, RCS2 Technologies, the country’s sole 3D printer manufacturer with its Thrimána line, will be working with the country’s Ministry of Health to start up a 3D printed prosthetic manufacturing project.

3D Printed Generative Heels

Talented designer Masaharu Ono, currently working for Japan’s DiGITAL ARTISAN.inc, is well-known for his creative 3D printed projects in both the fashion and technology worlds. Now he’s back in the fashion world with a 3D printed pair of high heels that you’ve got to see to believe. On the artisanal project “Generative Heel – Formless” for DiGITAL ARTISAN, Ono worked with casting company Castem, chemical manufacturer JSR, and 3D printing company Carbon to create the sky-high heels.

“This is concept model for mass customization, but I just getting ready, I will sell it as soon as possible,” Ono told 3DPrint.com.

3D Printed Window Spiderman

An Indian manufacturing company by the name of STPL3D received an unusual order from a traditional fine arts manufacturer: an extremely detailed, 6-foot Spiderman sculpture for the opening of a new entertainment store. Typically, a project like this would take closer to two months, but STPL3D’s given deadline was just one week away. Using 3D printing, the company was able to complete it in just four days, which helped lower the cost and weight of the sculpture as well. Digital sculpting was used to modify an open source file to better fit the client’s needs.

“Our production team wanted to take full advantage of our array of 15 FDM machines so we could finish the project before the timeline, so we divided the 6 ft* 4 ft sculpture into 20 parts, then our post-processing team assembled the spiderman in 6-7 hours with plastic welding and glue to bring it in real shape that was required by the client,” Hardik Prajapati of STPL3D told 3DPrint.com.

“Post processing is always fun and all about teamwork. Our artistic and post-processing team played a major role in finishing the project that had matched our client’s expectation.”

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3D Printed Prosthetics, Surgical Planning, and Modeling at AMS 2019

The second annual Additive Manufacturing Strategies (AMS) summit, “The Future of 3D Printing in Medicine and Dentistry,” was co-hosted by 3DPrint.com and SmarTech Markets Publishing and held in Boston just two short weeks ago. In addition to two separate tracks for medical and dental 3D printing, keynote presentations on the democratization of medicine and 3D printed medical devices, two pre-conference workshops, and a startup showdown, there was also an exhibition floor at the event with about a dozen booths to visit.

“It’s great,” a representative at the Trimech booth told me when I stopped by to ask how the event was going on the first full day of the summit. “So far really exciting, good conversations happening.”

The table at Trimech’s booth had all sorts of prints sitting out, including a colorful, detailed human skull featuring brains and veins that I was told had been 3D printed on the Stratasys J750.

Ultimaker‘s booth was busy, and I was told that there had been plenty of “good quality” conversations at the booth. On the first day of the summit, the Ultimaker team had been 3D printing a uterus model in white material, with fibroids printed in red material; however, they ran out of white by the second day and so were instead 3D printing a bone model in red.

I stopped by the Trumpf booth, which had some examples of 3D printed dental solutions on display, to speak with the representatives there for a few minutes.

“Of course medical in additive is a big thing,” Trumpf’s Technical Sales Manager Dave Locke told me. “So we’re interested in participating in these activities.”

Graham at the SLM Solutions booth also confirmed that good conversations were being had in the exhibition hall at the summit, and showed me some of the dental applications that they had on display…I saw a lot of 3D printed teeth made out of cobalt chrome in Boston.

While the r.Pod desktop dental 3D printer at the Arfona booth had been busily 3D printing dentures on the previous day, it was just on display during the last day of the event due to a small thing that needed to be fixed.

“We have a few different materials that are all for dental applications, but kind of the core product is this nylon, which we use for partial dentures. So this is a long term dental nylon,” the Arfona rep told me, showing me some completed dentures that had been through post-processing. “Those are all using just procedures that are kind of typical for a dental lab technician.”

I learned that Arfona could 3D print a set of dentures in about two hours, and finish the necessary post-processing in about another 20-30 minutes.

“It’s pretty fast. I mean, that’s something that typically would be spread out over…I mean, using conventional processes, over 4 or 5 dental appointments. And now it can be done in two.”

Anything that reduces the amount of time one has to sit in the dentist’s chair is aces, in my humble opinion.

I attended a few other sessions during AMS 2019, including one on 3D printed prosthetics that was moderated by Asimov Ventures’ Tyler Benster. Matthew Griffin, the Director of Community for Ultimaker North America, and Maria Esquela, the founder of 501c3 non-profit Alliance for Project Based Learning Solutions (APBLS or e-NABLE Alliance), both spoke on the topic.

Griffin shared a short clip from a 2017 Ultimaker video for “Hands for Haiti” about setting up 3D printing workshops in developing countries so the community can benefit from high-tech, 3D printed prosthetics. He also discussed how e-NABLE is not an organization, but a movement, and then Esquela “picked up Matt’s story a bit,” noting that she and her daughter were actually volunteers #71 and #72 for the heartwarming prosthetics network, which now has over 11,000 volunteers that work to provide 3D printed prosthetics to the millions of people who don’t have access to this kind of care.

Benster moderated the question session, but also asked one of his own. He wanted to know if Griffin and Esquela had any tips or suggestions for attendees with a business background about how to harness this type of creativity without feeling threatened by it. Griffin noted that there are lots of opportunities in the healthcare industry for testing out ideas earlier, and that people are “leaning on things,” such as community-based projects, in order to solve a problem, which then incites a feeling of empathy, “which you can then build on” when working to tackle a problem together.

I stayed on the medical track to attend a panel on 3D printing being used in surgical planning and modeling, which was moderated by SmarTech’s Scott Dunham. Alyssa Glennon, a Principal Engineer for Business Development at Materialise, and Carolyn DeVasto, the Global Vice President of Communications at medtech company BIOMODEX, were the speakers on the panel.

Glennon presented a case where a surgical team used 3D printed guides and bone models to test out different surgical options for an adult. This helped the virtual plan translate better in the operating room, and as a result, the patient was able to bend his arm just ten days after the surgery, which he had not been able to do for seven years.

Glennon detailed some of the many benefits of using 3D printing in a medical setting, such as interdisciplinary collaboration and better surgical preparation, but also noted that the regulatory environment is a major challenge for the medical 3D printing industry.

Glennon asked, “So how is Materialise providing a safe environment in hospitals for medical 3D printing?”

The answer: a solid understanding of the regulatory environment. The company offers an FDA-approved certification program for 3D printer manufacturers to have their products tested and validated for use with Materialise’s FDA-cleared Mimics inPrint software, which converts medical images into 3D print-ready files.

DeVasto, who explained that BIOMODEX is focused on the neurovascular field, stated that there are many challenges when it comes to biomechanics, since human tissue is so complex. According to her presentation, 36% of operating room errors could be avoided with the help of planning, which is what drives the company.

She noted that surgeons rely on sight and touch. The company’s algorithm builds 3D printable composite materials that are designed specifically to provide important tactile feedback. DeVasto explained that 3D printing is so important in healthcare planning because it can help enable better patient outcomes.

During the Q&A, Dunham asked if they saw any specific niches where a specific type of planning or rehearsal model could match with a specific method of 3D printing. Glennon said that this came down to two specific factors: cost and purpose.

“The guides and models I showed are sintered nylon orthopedic parts,” Glennon said, explaining that short-term, low value parts used in surgery need to be made out of material that can hold up in an autoclave, but also be cost-effective.

DeVasto said that the answer to Dunham’s question “comes down to materials,” noting that BIOMODEX is very specific in what its algorithm can print with.

Don’t forget, the third annual Additive Manufacturing Strategies summit will be held from January 29-30, 2020 and will include a metal 3D printing track. To keep up to date on registration information and everything else for AMS 2020, sign up for our newsletter here.

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[Images: Sarah Saunders]

Twikit’s Twikbot Brings Mass Customization Using 3D Printing To Prosthetics and Orthotics

Twikit is a Belgium based startup that makes mass customization software. The firm created parametric software that can be used to, within well-defined parameters, make unique 3D printed products. For BMW, for example, the company created a tool that would let Mini owners customize polymer car parts to their liking. Mini owners can now get 3D printed customized outside panels with their own text or parts that let their LED lamps spell out their names. By letting a person customize something, ensuring that this can be visualized in the browser and then also actually be a file that can be manufactured Twikit ties unique inputs to makable things. Twikit’s software takes the potential of 3D printing to make unique things and turns it into something that many can use (within limits).

Twikit has just released its Twikbot software platform for Prosthetics and Orthotics. Now Twikit can not only be used for customized car parts or parts of consumer electronics but also for medical applications. With the Twikbot platform, companies can now create workflows where unique scan data gets turned into a 3D printable file. Defined limits of the 3D printing process, essential structural elements, and part constraints can be defined in advance. Once this has occurred, and if the 3D scan is good, the path from 3D scan to 3D file for printing is automatic. We’ve seen a lot of movement on implementing more and more prosthetics and orthotics in 3D printing. These are increasingly being made using FDM (FFF), SLS and MFJ technologies but so far there hasn’t been an automated customization package that could mass customize 3D prints for all platforms. We interviewed Twikit’s CTO Olivier den Deken about a new development that the firm has just released.

What does Twikit do for orthotics & prosthetics?

3D printing is a cornerstone technology in the digital transformation of the orthotics and prosthetics market. It also enables to design better products with a perfect fit. In order to obtain a working flow, different dots need to be connected. In comes Twikit.

Twikbot engine takes care of product customization starting from a 3D scan, creating the perfect shape and fit. The cloud software automates your design process and delivers a unique production-ready file. Additionally, Twikit provides design engineering and integration services to implement the technology.

How does it work?

It is important to note that this solution has been developed for Certified Prosthetists Orthotists. CPO’s can create a custom 3D product by using the easy-to-use interface. After choosing the product type, they are able to upload a 3D scan. The CPO sets all required parameters (e.g. adaptations of the 3D scan, measurements) and corresponding points on the scan. Based on this information, the product template (e.g. a knee brace) is automatically reshaped to fit the patients scan.

Finally, the product (e.g. the knee brace) can be finetuned with aesthetical options such as patterns and color.

The CPO can review and order when she is ready. The application runs in the cloud for full scalability and is easily accessible on all devices (including tablets).The Twikbot platform will now create a production-ready-file in the cloud. The production files can be directly connected with the Order Services Module which is used to distribute the parts and parameters to the internal or external manufacturer.

How does it save money?

With the solution in place, either the manual production flow and/or the flow to manually design each unique digital model becomes obsolete. This saves many hours of manual labor and it eliminates errors. Through further automation of the order process, files can be processed quicker resulting in a scalable solution for the offerings of Orthotic and Prosthetic brands.

What will happen with the medical scan data of my patient?

The production file based on the medical scan is assigned with an encrypted code for further tracking and handling. No personal data is stored or spread unless consented to by the patient.

What is the output in terms of files?

Twikbot exports production ready files for additive manufacturing (.stl) or vector files (cutting) depending on the product.

What 3D scan data can I input? and how?

3D scan data can be obtained from 3rd parties or from handheld tablet compatible scanners like Occipital’s Structure Sensor. The 3D scan can be uploaded in the applications where further operations like scan checkup and manipulation can be done.

3D Printed Prosthetics and Simulator Could Lead to Optimized Devices

In a thesis entitled “Optimizing 3D Printed Prosthetic Hand and Simulator,” author Stephen Estelle discusses an investigation of the use of an upper extremity prosthetic simulator for those who are not missing limbs – for example, for schools or research facilities. No standardized prosthetic simulator exists for these facilities, Estelle says. He discusses using 3D printing to modify the existing Hosmer 5X Prosthetic Hook by adding newly designed trusses.

“To continue to raise prosthesis satisfaction, the professionals who are assisting the users with the prosthetics need to be able test, redesign, and optimize prosthetics for their clients,” Estelle states. “If issues arise for amputees, such as profuse sweating, and the working professionals had the most efficient technology, then they could bring new changes to the prosthetic as swiftly as possible. This is imperative so that the necessary changes to the devices can be made promptly, accurately, and correctly.”

Priorities for prosthetic users, according to a survey, include:

increased functionality
natural interaction with the environment
reduced weight
higher grasping speed and forces
low noise
better cosmetic appearance

Estelle 3D scanned an existing Hosmer 5X Prosthetic Hook and then used the scans to create a 3D model from which he 3D printed several redesigned prototypes, aiming to create a prosthetic that would work well with a simulator.

“The trusses on the side of the newly designed model of the Hosmer 5X Hook were inspired by bridges and the truss system used for them,” he explains. “The purpose of the truss is to reduce any form of displacement of the prosthetic hook, as well to disperse the stress and strain that the prosthetic encounters throughout the device more evenly. The truss was designed to reduce any bending or twisting moment due to a force on the tip of the hook. By doing so, the prosthetic is able to withstand higher forces and reduce the buildup of maximum stress in certain locations.”

Estelle also designed a prosthetic simulator that could be attached to a user’s arm, and a small sample population of volunteers participated in a study using the simulator. The prosthetics and simulators were 3D printed on the Stratasys F270 and the MakerBot Replicator in PLA material.

Simulator iterations

“The two simulator positions were in front of the hand and below the hand, while the two different prosthetics were the original stainless-steel
Hosmer 5X Prosthetic Hook and a PLA 3D printed replica,” Estelle continues. “The two prosthetics weighed 5.5oz and 2.5oz respectively, and the only difference being the material and the additional M12-1.25 hex screw connected to the 3D printed replica.”

The four testing groups were:

in front of the hand with the original prosthetic
below the hand with the original prosthetic
in front of the hand with the replica
below the hand with the replica

The participants were required to perform a “Box and Blocks test” to measure manual dexterity using the prosthetics. A box with a partition in the middle was placed in front of each participant, with blocks on one side and an empty space on the other. The participants were required to move as many blocks as possible from one side to the other in one minute.

The participants wearing the 3D printed prosthetic did slightly better with the test than those wearing the original, possibly because the 3D printed prosthetic was more lightweight. The bottom prosthetic position also may have allowed the wearer to reach the blocks more quickly.

“These preliminary tests that were done in this study not only gave us insight on the prosthetic simulator position and the material choice for the prosthetic, it also gave us a better understanding on performing more accurate and reliable tests as we move forward and continue with this study,” says Estelle. “In the upcoming trials, the addition of a tracking system will be added to help us understand the body movements that go along with the simulator positions and the prosthetics being used.”

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Create O&P Co-Founder Jeff Erenstone Resigning to Bring More 3D Printed Prosthetics to Developing Countries

3D printing orthotic and prosthetic manufacturer Create O&P, based in New York, is responsible for creating the first medical-grade 3D printed arm for a survivor of the Haiti earthquake. Soon after this feat, it introduced the Create 3400: the first and only fully integrated medical-grade 3D printer for orthotic and prosthetic devices. The company’s mission is to manufacture cost-effective 3D printed prosthetics that are easily accessible around the world, and not just in the US. It’s safe to say that Create O&P has used 3D printing to do a lot of good in the world.

Jeff Erenstone, the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Create O&P, is a certified prosthetist-orthotist. He already had his own clinical practice, Mountain Orthotic and Prosthetic Services, when he launched the company in late 2014 after seeing the potential of using 3D printing to increase productivity in the orthotic and prosthetic care industry. Now, he’s decided to move on in order to continue advancing and improving clinical and prosthetic care in the developing world, and this week announced his resignation as the company’s CTO.

“I am very proud to have co-founded this business and work with hundreds of clinic owners to improve care for their patients and enhance efficiency at the same time. I am excited to take the lessons we learned here and improve care in the developing world where this technology will allow for clinical care in areas where it otherwise is currently unavailable,” Erenstone said.

Erenstone will be continuing his work in the orthotics and prosthetics field by expanding the use of applied 3D printing solutions in clinical work in developing regions of the world through his non-profit organization, Operation Namaste, which he also co-founded. This is a pretty inspiring move, in my opinion.

“I am very proud of the products we developed at Create O&P, which today includes 3D printers, software, education and other tools with which O&P clinicians can produce a whole range of products. With Create O&P’s capabilities, clinicians in the United States and throughout the world have seen drastic improvements in the efficiency of their practices,” said Erenstone. “I am glad to be leaving this company in competent and energetic hands.”

The heartwarming Operation Namaste organization wants to ensure that amputees all around the world can have easy access to 3D printed prosthetic care. Its mission is “to provide a continuum of prosthetic care and related rehabilitative services to the people of Nepal” and other developing countries as well, such as Haiti.

Some of the projects that Operation Namaste has worked on include a summit on prosthetics and orthotics, Camp Namaste for Nepalese children with limb differences, and the Nepal Warrior Trek, where a team of amputees (including an Ohio police officer) and business owners journeyed to the country for a long trek with the purpose of raising awareness and financial assistance for victims of the 2015 Nepal earthquake.

“We will very much miss Jeff at Create O&P and wish him the best of luck as he brings 3D technology to places where patients too often don’t receive care. Jeff’s contributions to this company are immeasurable,” stated Create O&P’s CEO Cecilia “Cissi” Schaffer. “As a clinician, practitioner and visionary, Jeff saw the challenges domestic clinics face, particularly as they relate to net margins. He knew that 3D printing was the only solution that would both improve efficiency and improve clinical care.”

Erenstone was the company’s first CEO, and oversaw the development of two generations of its 3D printers, which includes its current series that makes it possible to manufacture diagnostic sockets, hands-free, in less than three hours. In addition, he also created Create O&P’s Rapid Plaster software, digitally replicates the processes that clinicians use in order to design sockets, as well as other devices, for their patients.

[Image: Create O&P]

“It was an honor to co-found this company with Jeff. We are implementing Jeff’s vision, which he himself tirelessly pursued for over four years,” said Create O&P Co-Founder and Chief Financial Officer Dan Kelleher. “I am grateful to Jeff for the opportunity to help him pursue this digital future since 2014.”

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[Images: Operation Namaste unless otherwise noted]

Interview with Prosthetist and Orthotist Brent Wright of LifeEnabled on 3D Printing Prosthetics

Amidst the hubble and bubble of optimism, money and growth, there are also people doing good things with 3D printing. Open source prosthetics are one of the most exciting areas of 3D printing. Here is an area where widely available desktop printers and industrial systems can be used to make patient-specific prostheses, braces, and medical assistive devices. These can also be made on location and very cost-effectively. 3D printing has the potential to completely transform the production and distribution of these devices. The idea is great but what is the reality like in the field? In order for that to happen a few talented individuals will have to be the tip of the spear and actually implement these technologies. One person who is pushing inexpensive 3D printed prosthetics is the prosthetist and orthotist Brent Wright. He is bringing the industry knowledge and training that he has to 3D printing and implement it in technology and capital deprived areas worldwide. Brent founded LifeEnabled a nonprofit that provides prosthetics to people worldwide. Brent also works for EastPoint Prosthetics and Orthotics where he honed his craft. Brent and LifeEnabled are an inspiration and you should help them push the envelope for helping.

What is LifeNabled?

“LifeNabled is a non-profit organization that specializes in creating high quality, low cost, durable, and new prostheses for the developing world. We believe that everyone missing a limb deserves to have mobility and access of a prosthesis.”

Why should I work with you?

“If you love people and like to see individuals that otherwise would not be able to walk get a prosthesis there is a place for you supporting LifeNabled.”

What kind of companies are you looking to partner with?

“We take our partnerships very seriously and they come from a diverse background. It truly takes all types of people and companies to make LifeNabled successful. For example we have a partner that does baseball training and loves what we do and gives LifeNabled exposure to their clients. We have a company that has convenience stores that provide exposure at the stores as well as access to business consulting via the CEO. We have another company that works with donors if they want to donate stock to us. None of these companies have experience in prosthetics but they believe in our mission.”

What does a prosthetist do?

“I always like to break down prosthetics and orthotics in a word picture. Most people have seen the classic movie Forest Gump. Forest Gump wore orthoses and Captain Dan wore prosthetics.

An orthotist works with someone with all their extremities to provide correction or support to specific part of the body.

A prosthetist works with a person that is missing a part of their body.”

When did you start using 3D printing and why is it so relevant for you??

“I started printing in 2016. 3D printing allows me to reach people in the developing world with a prosthesis without the need to build a large and expensive fabrication facility.”

What is holding 3D printing back in your area?

“Currently, it is materials. Many of the materials are just not strong enough compared to traditional fabrication and when you make them strong enough they are quite heavy. I see a lot of promise though with filament manufacturers jumping into extruding PolyPropylene and other innovative new materials.”

What 3D printers do you use?

“Depends on the application. I have a Raise 3D printer that is highly modified so I can print lots of materials. I use Filament Innovations machines to print large nozzle and large volume objects. I use a Lulzbot Taz 6 and Mini’s for detail parts with more resolution. Lastly, I use my Blackbelt machine for interesting shaped prostheses that traditionally would require a lot of support.”

What materials do you use?

“I use a little bit of everything but have settled on CF PETG and PETG for most applications. I see a lot of promise for the Polypropylene though.”

How could 3D printing materials be improved for you?

“I really think it is a combination of materials and machine. The closer we get in strength to traditional lamination the better off we are. A lot more work needs to be completed on how the environment plays a roll in getting a good print.”

What do you think of FDM vis a vis MFJ and SLS?

“I love MJF I am not familiar with SLS but know that the cooling time is an issue with both however MJF allows you to cool parts in another chamber. The parts are amazing and strong and the resolution is incredible. The parts are definitely more expensive but the price is coming down. FDM is still the most cost effective way to print but in my opinion, the reports generated on the MJF machines about how the printer performed and the consistency makes the most sense when we decide to make an end use product.”

Do you think that 3D printing will fundamentally change your field?

“Fundamentals are fundamentals, I think prosthetists are the best in the world creating one of cost effective prototypes. The rules for comfort and alignment do not change but materials and fabrication styles change. I am looking forward to getting soft materials and hard materials in the same prosthesis. I am looking forward to mass customization that is cost effective.”

Will patient specific braces and orthoses be the norm?

“On upper extremity orthoses, it will be the norm. Lower extremity orthoses will become more mainstream as we gather data on durability.”

How cost effective is using 3D printing compared to traditional methods?

“For prosthetics, the economics almost work compared to traditional fabrication. On the orthotic side, it is less work to print the items however the costs are higher when compared to the price we get paid for a given device. I foresee those costs getting better over time though.”

New Zealand: myReflection 3D Prints Lightweight, Affordable Prosthetic Breasts for Post-Mastectomy Patients

3D printing has brought the potential for massive change in medicine—relating to so many different aspects, from bioprinting to making surgical guides and many different devices. The area of prosthetics has already been impacted in an extremely positive way, for patients of all ages around the world. Now, women who have undergone mastectomies in New Zealand can look forward to customized prostheses that offer amazing improvement on previous options.

Created by myReflection, these implants can be made as copies of women’s breasts before surgery. Photographs or scans are used to create the images which are then converted into a 3D design and later a 3D print. Fay Cobett of myReflection points out that these 3D printed devices can be credited for improving the quality of life for women who had breast cancer, underwent mastectomies, and want to ‘feel whole’ again.

“We’re all different – scars, lumps, bumps. We need to capture all those details,” explains Cobett.

As a cancer survivor herself, Cobett has firsthand knowledge of what it is like to struggle not only with the disease of breast cancer, but also the frustration of generic implants during the attempt to regain normalcy later. Her partner, Tim Carr (director of myReflection) wanted to create something that would mold to her body rather than cause intense discomfort. Carr began collaborating with 3D print expert Jason Barnett, and myReflection was born.

Jason Barnett – 3D printing expert and chief R&D Engineer for myReflection (Photo credit: myReflection)

The patient-specific prosthetic is so lightweight and versatile that it can be worn with any bra, and due to the affordability associated with 3D printing (along with speed and efficiency in production), replacements are inexpensive.

“This is absolutely a world-first for New Zealand,” says Carr. “I watched [wife] Fay after she lost her breast [and] deal with the generic prosthesis. They don’t stay in place and they were heavy and they were expensive.”

Carr points out that due to the unique quality of the prosthetics, they could charge exponentially more for such a product. Their goal, however, is to make the myReflection prosthetics affordable and accessible. Carr also explains further on the company website that their goal was not to create an ‘elitist product,’ but rather one that women could enjoy easily; in fact, women living in New Zealand who have undergone mastectomies have prosthesis and bra costs covered with four yearly subsidies.

(Photo credit: myReflection)

“It has been such a personal journey for us.” said Carr on the myReflection website. ‘We are really excited to be able to share this product with other women who are going through or have been through what we have. If we can improve the quality of life of women who have been through the hell of breast cancer and help to restore their self-image, then it is all worth it.”

Find out more about the myReflection products and the story of their inspiring work here.

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[Source / Images: 1NewsNow]

MSF Hospital in Jordan Continues to Help Wounded Victims of War with 3D Printed Prosthetics

Ahmad is the first patient to receive an above-elbow 3D printed prosthetic from MSF. Technicians added an extra piece to substitute the humerus in the prosthetic, and Ahmad will be able to both bend and stretch the arm.

For over ten years now, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), known in English as Doctors Without Borders, has been operating a reconstructive surgery hospital in Amman, Jordan. Patients from many Middle Eastern countries who are victims of bomb blasts, shrapnel, bullets, and other war-related wounds are healed there.

But the MSF-run hospital also offers upper limb amputees something in addition to emergency medical care – 3D printed prosthetics.

Moreau scans the amputated hand of Ibrahim, a patient from Iraq. The scanned image appears in real-time on his computer and will provide accurate measurements for his tailor-made prosthetics.

Pierre Moreau, the clinical coordinator for MSF’s 3D printed prosthetic project in Jordan, said, “The MSF Foundation launched the 3D project in Amman in February last year, and we started to see the first patients two months later.

“So far, we have delivered 16 printed prosthetics. But our role doesn’t stop here. We support patients through a string of occupational therapy sessions to show what they can do with them.”

The project began as a study and is still technically in its experimental phase. Patients come to the hospital from places where it’s hard to get proper treatment, and too expensive for subsequent therapy, like Gaza, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, and MSF uses 3D scanning and printing to help them regain partial functionality. In turn, patient feedback helps the organization improve the quality of the 3D printed prosthetics.

34-year-old Ibrahim suffered injuries to his head, hand, and leg from a car explosion, and has had a total of six surgeries. While his hand was only initially broken, improper treatment caused it to rot, and doctors soon amputated it; Ibrahim has been dealing with the resulting pain for over two years.

Ibrahim’s 3D scans

At MSF’s Jordanian hospital, Ibrahim’s hands were scanned, and a mirrored picture will “be matched with the scan of the injured part” to make a more accurate prosthetic. Before his injury, Ibrahim was a driver, and his 3D printed prosthetic will allow him to return to work.

MSF is also 3D printing transparent masks for patients with facial burns, which are used to apply pressure on the affected surface to keep skin soft and flat after graft surgeries to help the face heal with less scarring. 7-year-old Nour Saleh suffered head injuries in 2014 when a small device exploded near the family home, and eventually underwent a skin graft procedure in Baghdad.

The family didn’t have enough money to cover all of her medical costs, and MSF accepted the case two years ago. Thanks to four surgeries at the Jordanian hospital, Nour was able to grow her hair back, which really helped with her self esteem.

Traditionally manufactured below-elbow prosthetics can cost anywhere from $200 to $2,000. But for a 3D printed prosthesis, factoring in the material, production time, case estimation, and assessment of the patient’s needs, the overall costs are much lower.

“The idea is to be able to produce 3D-printed prosthetics in the future in places difficult to access and lacking a sound healthcare system, like in conflict areas,” explained Moreau. “But the way to do it is still under discussion, as it is not always easy to find technicians available in these areas, and printers are still expensive.”

Samar Ismail

Prices are expected to keep going down as people in the industry work to develop cheaper 3D printers and innovative materials. Speaking of materials, MSF 3D Project Supervisor Samar Ismail takes care of the post-processing work for the 3D printed prosthetics, which includes painting them a color that matches the patients’ complexions and adding a varnish safety layer so food can be safely handled.

44-year-old Abu Mohammad was working in a field when a bomb was dropped, which affected both his hands and legs.

“It was impossible to escape the accident,” he explained. “Warplanes arrive suddenly and when you notice their presence, it is because you are on the ground groaning in pain.”

He uses a walker to move, and, as he has a nerve injury and multiple amputated fingers, received an active-system prosthetic, which will allow him to open and close his hand and activate the prosthetic thumb by moving his shoulder. This will help Mohammad complete tasks like combing his hair or holding a phone.

23-year-old Abdulkareem was also injured by a bomb dropped from an airplane. At the local hospital where he sought treatment, he received an uncomfortable prosthesis made with traditional methods that he rarely used. 17-year-old war victim Ahmad Meqdad was injured outside when a plane dropped a barrel bomb near his home seven years ago, and was taken to the hospital with his arm barely hanging on; his hand was soon amputated, and his mother says that he “refuses to talk about the accident.”

MSF has used 3D printing to help all of these patients, and will hopefully continue to do its good work for as long as it’s necessary.

Note: Some of the patient’s names were changed on request.

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[Source: Al Jazeera / Images: Elisa Oddone]

Halifax e-NABLE Branch Recycling Plastic Weed Container Lids into 3D Printed Prosthetic Limbs

Jake Boudreau [Image: CBC News]

Last year, Halifax resident Jacob Boudreau, who works for a logistics company, watched a TED Talk by heartwarming 3D printed prosthetics volunteer organization e-NABLE, and was inspired to open his own non-profit e-NABLE chapter, called Kindness3D.

Boudreau said, “This project really resonated with me because it’s the perfect marriage between health and tech.”

Isabella, from Nosara, Costa Rica, received a 3D printed prosthetic hand from Kindness3D. [Image: Kindness3D]

Things started off normally enough, with Kindness3D using regular PLA material to fabricate prosthetics, including a 3D printed hand and arm for Brazilian athlete Kelly De Oliveira Malaquias and a hand for a young girl in Costa Rica.

But Boudreau’s work to provide 3D printed prosthetics is now dovetailing with another passion – recycling plastic waste from what he refers to as the “excessive cannabis packaging conundrum” of the NSLC (Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation), the province’s legal cannabis distributor.

Boudreau said, “There’s no real plan in place for how much waste is being put through the NSLC.”

Recently, Canada became the first major world economy to legalize recreational marijuana. But many customers in Nova Scotia are criticizing the NSLC for using excessive packaging for the product. Cannabis guidelines for Health Canada say that the packaging must be tamper-proof, child-resistant, and prevent contamination.

Easy Cheesy cannabis, purchased at the NSLC in Halifax. [Image: CBC News]

While the white plastic containers that Canada’s pot comes in do meet these guidelines, some consumers say they are environmentally unfriendly and not able to be recycled. Boudreau says that all of the lids will eventually end up in landfills…so he’s taking action.

Just like the Million Waves Project uses recycled ocean plastic to make 3D printed prosthetic limbs, Boudreau and Kindness3D want to use these plastic pot container lids to make 3D printed prosthetics for kids.

“We just noticed that there was an obscene amount of waste. To me it seemed incredibly wasteful. It was actually frustrating for me as a consumer,” Boudreau said.

He first got the idea to recycle the plastic cannabis lids into plastic for 3D printed prosthetic limbs when customers asked him if he could help with the waste problem.

“We jumped on board, noticing that there wasn’t really a plan in place to deal with this kind of waste. It’s something we’re really excited about,” Boudreau said. “We’re doing our part to kind of help out and as well repurpose this packaging and create some artificial limbs from it.”

Lizzy Brown of Kindness3D holds up an empty cannabis package at the recent workshop in Halifax. The group is asking Haligonians to drop off the used caps from cannabis packaging at various spots around the city for them to be shredded and turned into 3D printed prosthetics. [Image: Fadila Chater, Star Metro]

First, Kindness3D modified a paper shredder so it could be used to break down the plastic pot container lids, so the shredded plastic could be used in the organization’s 3D printer. Then, it began to ask other local businesses to collect the used lids. Now, Kindness3D asks Nova Scotians to bring the empty cannabis containers, lids and all, to Boudreau’s Dalhousie University Sexton Campus operation, and various other drop-off points, for recycling and reprocessing into prosthetic limbs.

Boudreau hopes to use the lids of cannabis containers to make prosthetic limbs. [Image: CBC, Kindness3D]

Since beginning the cannabis lid recycling project, Boudreau is already working to complete a 3D printed prosthetic arm for a four-year-old girl in California. Additionally, he started a petition in hopes of convincing the NSLC to collect and donate all of its used cannabis packaging to Kindness3D.

But, according to NSLC spokesperson Beverley Ware, the corporation has not been contacted by Kindness3D yet…maybe it’s waiting to get a certain number of signatures first?

Ware is also requesting that customers continue to follow the recycling programs already set up in their communities.

Ware explained, “We do not recycle bottle or cans and don’t have the room in our stores to provide such a drop-off service or the infrastructure to deliver products for recycling.”

I hope this recycling initiative by Kindess3D doesn’t turn into some kind of legal battle. I understand that there are rules for a reason, and maybe the infrastructure doesn’t allow for this sort of program just yet. But the non-profit is trying to do a very noble thing in both recycling large amounts of wasteful plastic and providing 3D printed prosthetics to the people who need them most, so I hope that everything will work out in the end.

[Image: Kindness3D]

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