Project: Prosthetic C-Leg Cover (Updating)
Progress.1
My First Test Print
Monday, Oct 3, 2016
Test Print 1:
Note: The testing model cracked as seen in the picture, because I was so clumsy that I dropped the model on the floor a couple times.. :/
Background
This project was brought in to the lab (Champaign-Urbana Community Fab Lab) by a lady around 8 months ago; It has always been in the back of my mind and now I finally decided to pick it up and develop my ideas;
Ideas
Design a cheaper alternative cover that use available 3D printing technology, and allow people to print their own cover (If one orders a very nice cover printed with ABS from industry companies, it costs around $1000-2000; but my test print costs around $30 for PLA material filament) ;
Making Process
Software used
MeshMixer, Fusion 360, Blender, 3Ds Max, MeshLab, NetFabb Basic
Overview
- Get scanned models of both the leg and the C-Leg, simplify, edit and smooth the models;
- Scaled the models to real-life size;
- Use MeshMixer to get only the outside surface (the shell) of the two models, as they are my modeling base;
- Import the shell of the leg model into 3Ds Max to generate patterns based on the model's polygons;
- Extrude the shells of both models to a certain thickness I want;
- Design and build connection parts, and then slice the model in four pieces;
- Union the respective pieces, make them solid, simplify them and fix any issues (holes, triangles, etc) of the models using MeshMixer, MeshLab and NetFabb Basic
Important ideas:
- Connection parts, with regard to connecting to the C-Leg and connecting the four pieces together: (Updating...)
Current status
I have made my first model and have a test print; it attaches to the C-leg well, but there are several issues that I need to work on:
- (Updating...)
Next Step
- Further simplify the design; the crude idea is to model the leg-scanned model in CAD to get a smoothed surface model, therefore enabling pattern designs customization on the cover;
- Fix connection issue by thinking of new connection design;
- Improve design on structures to make the cover stronger and more durable;
- Try out different printing materials, like carbon fiber reinforced filament or flexible filament, if my budget allows;
Future goal
More durable and stylish; Develop a "smooth and regular" model that allows different patterns to be designed on the cover surface; Integrate with OpenSCAD programming to make the model customizable to some extent for users, by simply changing the dimensions of the cover (length, width, height) to fit their own size;
