What is 3D printing?
What is 3D printing?
Embedded Files
"The action or process of making a physical object from a three-dimensional digital model, typically by laying down many thin layers of a material in succession. "
-Lexico
What is a myoelectric prosthesis?
What is a myoelectric prosthesis?
"An prosthetic device operated by battery-powered electric motors that are activated through electrodes by the myoelectric potentials provided by muscles."
-MedicalDictionary
Printing Material
Printing Material
In the effort to keep costs are low as possible, the prototyping has been done on a Stratasys Mojo printing. Using fused deposition modeling with ABS plus thermoplastic. The team has able to keep a low costs whereas a similar prototype in size and functionality on the prosthetic market would cost in the thousands of dollars.
Biggest Challenge
Biggest Challenge
(Layer Thickness)
(Layer Thickness)
Some of the challenges that the team has faced so far is determining the "pattern" of printing. The more "layers" that are involved in a 3D print the stronger it will be but also the heavier it will the be. The team plans to further prototype to discover the "correct number of layers" that will allow the prototype to be strong but lightweight.
ASU 3D Print Lab
ASU 3D Print Lab
3D Print and Laser Cutter Lab
3D Print and Laser Cutter Lab
Fulton Schools of Engineering 3D Print and Laser Cutter Lab is a student-run lab and we support engineering students with printing 3D models and laser cutting for FSE course assignments, group projects, and research. The professional-level 3D printers and laser cutters are available to serve FSE students regardless of school year or prior experience.
Equipment (ABSplus thermoplastic)
Equipment (ABSplus thermoplastic)
Cost
Cost
The best part about using the ASU 3D print lab was that all of the expenses the team occurred was paid for by the Fulton Schools of Engineering. This print lab has helped the team save hundreds of dollars in prototyping and they have been able to allocate this money towards investing in better resources for the final prototype and different myoelectric prosthetic parts.
3D Modeling Software
3D Modeling Software
ASU also allows its students to have access to SolidWorks 3D modeling software. While the team was able to use designs from the online forum "e-Nable", they are also in the process of creating their own designs. The team is using SolidWorks to make their own prosthetics and are loves the functionality that this modeling software provides.
Final Prototype 3D Print
Final Prototype 3D Print
PETG
PETG
Glycol Modified version of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET). The reason the team wants to use this material for the final prototype is because of this material's ease of printing, its texture and smoothness, its water resistance, and its FDA- approved safety. This material is more expensive than the ABS the team has currently been using which is why we are waiting until the final product to use this material.
Third-Party Printing Service
Third-Party Printing Service
Unfortunately, the ASU print lab that the group has been using doesn't support printers that are able to print with the PETG material. Because of this, the team is in the process of finding a third-party 3D printing company in the local phoenix area to partner with in the creation on there prosthetics. Any third-party printing service that the team uses is going to have additional fees and costs that the team will have to budget for. The team isn't yet to the point where they are printing the final concept so this is one of the future tasks for the team.
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