
structural nuances of each patient’s body. The CAD
model functions as a flexible template for
customization, enabling the design team to adjust the
device’s shape, size, and functional elements to meet
the specific needs identified during the requirements-
gathering phase. This customization includes
designing features to support movement, applying
ergonomic principles to enhance comfort, and adding
adjustable components as necessary. Fusion 360
collaborative tools further allow for real-time design
adjustments based on continuous feedback from both
patients and clinicians, ensuring that the model remains
closely aligned with clinical requirements and user
preferences. Through an iterative design process, the
digital model is refined through multiple cycles.
Feedback from clinicians addresses functional aspects,
such as stability and support, while patient input
focuses on comfort, fitting, and aesthetic preferences.
This iterative cycle enables the team to make precise
adjustments that optimize the device’s usability and
effectiveness for real-world application. Once the
CAD model is finished, it undergoes through final
validation within the software to ensure structural
integrity and compatibility with 3D printing
specifications. The validated model is then prepared
for the next phase, material selection and 3D Printing.
This CAD modelling phase is essential to achieve a
highly customized, user-centered device, as it provides
the digital framework that guides fabrication.
4. Material Selection and 3D Printing: Suitable
materials are chosen based on the device's intended
function and patient needs. The majority of materials
used in device fabrication include PLA and/or TPU,
selected for their specific properties suited to patient
needs and the intended function of each device. PLA
provides rigidity and stability, ideal for structural
components, while TPU offers flexibility, making it
suitable for areas requiring greater adaptability and
comfort. Devices are fabricated using FDM, the most
common 3D printing technology, which enables rapid
prototyping and allows for iterative adjustments
throughout the design process. This ensures each
device meets high standards of functionality and
patient comfort.
5. Prototype Testing with Healthcare
Professionals and Patients: This phase is dynamic
and iterative, centered on testing the initial prototype
with both healthcare professionals and patients to
ensure it meets all functional, clinical, and
occupational needs. The first prototype is rigorously
evaluated for fitting, comfort, and usability in real-life
applications, with extensive feedback gathered from
all participants, both from interviews and from the use
of the System Usability Scale (SUS). (Bangor,
Kortum, and Miller 2008) This feedback is
invaluable, as it allows the team to make necessary
design adjustments that better align with the unique
requirements of each patient and the clinical
expectations. If modifications are needed, the design
is refined, reprinted, and subjected to further rounds
of testing. This cycle of adjustment, reprinting, and
retesting continues as needed, enabling the team to
optimize the device until it achieves the desired
outcomes. Throughout this process, the interests of
the patient, including both clinical and occupational
aspects, remain at the core of decision-making,
ensuring that the final device not only fulfills
technical specifications but also enhances the
patient's quality of life and independence. This
collaborative testing phase is essential for balancing
clinical functionality with patient comfort, as the
active involvement of patients and clinicians ensures
that the final device is as practical and effective as
possible. The comprehensive methodology enables
the Center to produce cost-effective, high-quality
devices tailored to address specific clinical needs
while maintaining rapid adaptability to feedback and
continuous improvement. The Center’s projects
leverage a structured, dynamic co-creation
methodology, ensuring each device meets patient-
specific anatomical and functional requirements.
Through a collaborative process involving patients,
clinicians, and engineers, device requirements are
iteratively refined, with adjustments made based on
ongoing feedback and clinical testing.
By applying this methodology consistently across all
projects, the 3D Printing Center for Health ensures
the production of cost-effective, high-quality devices
that meet specific clinical and patient needs. This
systematic approach enhances the Center’s ability to
adapt designs in response to feedback, enabling
continuous improvement and alignment with real-
world requirements.
3 RESULTS
The 3D Printing Center for Health has achieved
significant impact through its three main projects,
with measurable improvements in patient care and
functionality.
a) 3D Anatomical Printing
Anatomical models created through this project have
been used in various hospitals, providing clinicians
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