Adaptive Personalized Ankle-Foot-Orthosis: 3D Printing and On-Site Carbon Fiber Reinforcement for Tailored Stiffness

Abstract

The current manufacturing process of ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) allows for little post-processing and subsequent patient customization. This study aims to answer the question of how to provide faster, more efficient, and more individualized patient care. The first step is to develop a design for an AFO that can be 3D printed for each patient and then reinforced with thermoplastic fiber tape. This design is then analyzed using a finite element model (FEM). With this model, the mechanical performance of the reinforced AFO is compared to that of the pure 3D printed AFO. At the same time, the entire AFO manufacturing process chain was redesigned and adapted to the new design. The experimental and computational results are in good agreement and show a significant improvement in stiffness due to the tape reinforcement. The result of this study is the development of a lightweight AFO design that can be easily and efficiently fitted to the patient in the field.