[ad_1]
Automated post-processing methods producer Additive Manufacturing Applied sciences (AMT) has deployed its PostPro chemical vapor smoothing expertise to enhance the floor end, consolation, and sturdiness of 3D printed prosthetics.
Prosthetic machine producer Proteo turned to AMT for the post-processing of its 3D printed DuoSocket prosthetic, which had been custom-made for a affected person who had undergone a limb reamputation and for whom the machine was nonetheless not snug or sturdy sufficient to make use of, as a result of form of the stump.
The agency made use of AMT’s PostPro chemical vapor smoothing system to enhance the floor end of the machine so as to make it extra snug to put on, whereas additionally rising the soundness and sturdiness of the prosthetic to allow the affected person to proceed his regular bodily actions, similar to biking and soccer.
PostPro chemical vapor smoothing
Since its founding in 2017, AMT has processed over six million 3D printed elements and delivered its post-processing methods to greater than 25 nations throughout the globe. Shortly after elevating £11 million in Sequence B funding in October final yr, the agency launched the subsequent technology of its chemical vapor smoothing expertise at Formnext 2021.
Within the two years for the reason that expertise’s preliminary debut at Formnext 2019, AMT intensively developed and redesigned its chemical vapor smoothing methods from the bottom up so as to scale back the general half value related to the expertise. The chemical vapor smoothing course of is designed to routinely easy and seal the surfaces of 3D printed polymer elements to realize a floor end akin to that of injection molding.
AMT’s PostPro expertise works by suspending batches of elements in an ergonomically designed sealed processing chamber, which encompasses a proprietary solvent mix launched in vapor type in a closed-loop system. The consumable then reflows the polymer floor so as to take away irregularities, similar to crack initiation websites, and seal the half to ship easy, complicated geometries with out degrading the element’s mechanical properties.
The ensuing post-processed elements are hermetic, watertight, and retain their tensile power, that means they’re appropriate to be used in an array of highly-regulated end-use purposes.
AMT’s PostPro expertise is appropriate with a variety of polymers and is able to processing Multi Jet Fusion (MJF), SLS, SAF, and FDM 3D printed elements to their desired floor roughness.
Put up-processing for prosthetics
Proteo is among the first firms to have efficiently applied 3D printing, CAD modeling, and 3D scanning for decrease limb prosthetics. The DuoSocket prosthetic marks the subsequent stage within the improvement of the corporate’s merchandise, with which Proteo hopes to fully revolutionize the creation of prosthetics on a worldwide scale.
Proteo’s DuoSocket prosthetic was 3D printed utilizing HP’s MFJ 3D printing expertise and was made up of two layers; a TPU interior socket and PA12 outer layer. Regardless of TPU’s versatile properties, the tough 3D printed floor was too uncomfortable to put on for the affected person, and would additionally act as the proper breeding floor for micro organism if the affected person was to sweat an excessive amount of whereas involved with it.
To resolve the prosthetic’s floor end points, the agency leveraged AMT’s PostPro chemical vapor smoothing expertise. After floor ending, the 3D printed prosthetic gained improved mechanical properties, similar to elongation at break, which elevated its sturdiness and life longevity. The method additionally elevated the flexibleness of the TPU interior socket to ship larger consolation.
One advantage of the PostPro chemical vapor smoothing expertise is that as a result of the method doesn’t add or take away any supplies, it doesn’t improve the load of the half or change its dimensional accuracy. This was significantly essential for this software, because the prosthetic was custom-made precisely for the affected person as a result of difficult form of his stump after reamputation, which made making a well-fitting socket very tough.
To handle the priority of micro organism proliferation, the chemical vapor smoothing course of sealed the floor of the prosthetic towards liquid consumption. Due to this fact, if the affected person sweats whereas carrying the prosthetic, the sweat will merely deflect off the floor as an alternative of being absorbed by the 3D printed half. In flip, the sealed floor will increase sterilization, with checks displaying that elements present process PostPro chemical vapor smoothing reveal a discount of micro organism accumulation when in comparison with as-printed surfaces.
The ultimate advantage of the PostPro chemical vapor smoothing expertise is that it will increase the general aesthetics of elements and makes them appear like they’ve been industrially manufactured. In keeping with AMT, that is the “final objective.”
As soon as the DuoSocket had undergone the PostPro chemical vapor smoothing course of, the affected person discovered that the TPU interior layer was way more snug to put on, whereas the PA12 outer layer was sturdy and steady sufficient for him to go about his regular bodily actions.
Not solely did the partnership between AMT and Proteo present the affected person with a totally appropriate and customised prosthetic with improved consolation and efficiency, however it additionally demonstrated the advantages of AMT’s PostPro chemical vapor smoothing platform for wider 3D printed prosthetics purposes.
Subscribe to the 3D Printing Trade publication for the most recent information in additive manufacturing. You too can keep related by following us on Twitter and liking us on Fb.
On the lookout for a profession in additive manufacturing? Go to 3D Printing Jobs for a choice of roles within the trade.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for the most recent 3D printing video shorts, evaluations and webinar replays.
Featured picture reveals the 3D printed DuoSocket prosthetic post-processed utilizing AMT’s PostPro expertise. Picture through AMT.
[ad_2]
