A research team in Canada reviewed recent progress in the use of polymer-based additive manufacturing (AM) for 3D printing of O&P devices. They found that design and fabrication efficiency using AM techniques lowered the device’s cost compared to conventional methods, but O&P professionals expressed concern about the materials and structural strength of 3D-printed devices.
The researchers reviewed scientific articles about AM for O&P devices and spoke with 22 O&P practitioners about current practices and technologies and the prospect of using AM techniques. The primary focus was on five key areas: cost, material, design and fabrication efficiency, structural strength, functionality, and patient satisfaction.
The researchers concluded that 3D printing is being embraced more slowly in O&P than in other industries due to a lack of qualification standards for 3D-printed devices.
The open-access study, “Polymer-Based Additive Manufacturing for Orthotic and Prosthetic Devices: Industry Outlook in Canada,” was published in the journal Polymers.
