Abstract
M.Ing. (Mechanical Engineering)
The high cost of quality aesthetic prostheses and the isolation from trained prosthetists makes it unfeasible for people in developing communities to obtain prosthetic devices. There are significant and adverse psychological effects on people who are missing limbs due to birth defects, disease or amputation. Prosthetic devices assist in helping people become accepted into every day civilisation by masking a physical deformity, and enhancing their self-esteem.
Modern 3D digitising techniques and Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies are becoming increasingly common in the medical industry. These technologies can also be used for the production of prostheses. Through the use of 3D Digitising and AM, the need for a trained prosthetist for producing prostheses is limited. The production of prostheses by the Base of Pyramid (BoP) might also assist in creating value in developing communities.
The objective of this study was to establish a process chain to evaluate AM technologies for the prototyping of prostheses in developing communities. Technologies considered include Open-Source Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM), Advanced FDM, 3-Dimensional Printing (3DP), and Stereolithography (SLA). Parameters which were evaluated include the build time, cost of the build and material usage. Surface roughness parameters of the parts produced by each of the AM technologies were also investigated.
The investigation found that a process chain utilising 3D digitising and AM technologies can be used for the production of prosthetic fingers. Open-source FDM technologies can be used for the production of prostheses, which produces results comparable to those obtained from methods used in developing communities. The advanced FDM, 3DP and SLA technologies produced good quality prosthetic fingers at a lower cost, in a shorter time and with less material usage than conventional methods used in developed communities...