Rapid Orthotics for CURE Kenya - Mechanical Design and Official Testing of 3D Printed Sockets

Rapid Orthotics for Cure Kenya (ROCK) collaborates with CURE, a non-profit orthopedic workshop in Kjabe, Kenya, to implement a 3D printing system for manufacturing custom prosthetics and orthotics. The goal is to reduce the production time and cost for the current transtibial sockets being manufactured in the orthotic workshop to give the patients a way to integrate into society and reduce stigma from their communities. The team designed a system for manufacturing transtibial sockets by converting a scan of the residual limb to a digital file customized by the orthopedic technicians and converted to a file to be 3D printed. The team designed a procedure to ensure the safety of the sockets within the constraints and offsets of the ISO 10328 Standard. The standard requires twelve official tests specifying the type and conditions to be conducted for the Ultimate Strength and Static Proof tests. The team has designed a testing rig that interfaces with the Materials Testing System machine at Messiah University to apply the necessary forces according to the complex geometry outlined in the standard. Additionally, research has determined the optimized 3D printing settings to increase the quality and consistency of the sockets. To smoothly institute the system developed in the orthopedic workshop, the team has developed a Training Manual outlining the step-by-step procedure for the system. Using this system, the team completed all twelve tests with a passing socket result which will contribute to determining the steps for next semester and for the summer site team trip. Funding for this work provided by The Collaboratory for Strategic Partnerships and Applied Research and by The Collaboratory for Strategic Partnerships and Applied Research.https://mosaic.messiah.edu/engr2022/1014/thumbnail.jp

Rapid Orthotics for Cure Kenya: Mechanical Design and Modeling of 3D Printed Sockets

Rapid Orthotics for Cure Kenya (ROCK) works with CURE, a non-profit orthopedic workshop in Kjabe, Kenya, to implement a 3D printing system for manufacturing custom prosthetics and orthotics. The goal is to reduce the production time and cost for the current transtibial sockets being manufactured in the orthotic clinic to give the patients a way to integrate into society and reduce stigma from their communities. The team has developed a transtibial socket for below-the-knee amputees produced by a 3D printing system that converts a scan of the residual limb to a model that takes a third of the time to print versus the current manufacturing method. The current focus of the team is to develop a rigorous testing procedure adhering to the requirements set by the ISO 10328 Standard, an internationally recognized testing method. In order to ensure the safety of the sockets, tests must be run demonstrating that the product can withstand the different forces experienced during the gait cycle. Due to the complex geometry of the applied forces outlined in the ISO 10328, the team has designed a novel testing rig that interfaces with the MTS machine at Messiah University to apply the necessary forces according to the geometry outlined in the standard. Additionally, computer-based simulations are being developed in SolidWorks, a 3D modeling software, to determine how the components will behave under certain loading conditions. This is done to ensure accordance with the 10328 Standard and will be critical in the future for developing necessary cyclic tests.https://mosaic.messiah.edu/engr2021/1013/thumbnail.jp