Chris Baschuk, MPO, CPO, LP, FAAOP(D), director of clinical services, Point Designs, won first place for his design of a shoulder disarticulation prosthesis in the Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) 2024 Technical Competition.
Baschuk submitted the winning entry in the Advanced Concepts category, “Lightweight Revolution: Ventilated Multi-material Shoulder Disarticulation Prosthesis.” Manufactured with HP’s Multi Jet Fusion, in rigid PA 12 and flexible TPU, the patient-specific device leveraged the distinctive capabilities of additive manufacturing.
Baschuk said that the prosthesis reduces bulkiness, weight, and fabrication complexity associated with conventional approaches. Additionally, advanced design features, such as hexagonal lattices for breathability, heat dissipation, and electronics integration, improve the patient experience.
“This project epitomizes the potential of additive manufacturing in prosthetic development, offering a highly personalized, functional, and comfortable solution for individuals with shoulder disarticulation amputations, setting a new standard in the field,” said Baschuk.
“Using additive manufacturing for prosthetics is not new, but the methodology and attention to detail used in this entry are incredible,” the judges said. “The forethought to incorporate lightweighting and DFAM [design for additive manufacturing] to provide user comfort is impressive. The embedded electronics for movement were astounding and would improve the user’s quality of life. This is a great additive manufacturing application to improve the human condition and an outstanding entry.”
