RESUMEN
Passive energy storing prosthetics are redesigned to improve the stored and recovered energy during different phases of the gait cycle. Furthermore, the demand of the low-cost passive prosthesis that are capable of energy storing is increasing day by day especially in underdeveloping countries. This article proposes a new passive foot design that is more energy efficient if 3D printed using thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) material. The model is built in SOLIDWORKS®, and then the finite element analysis is conducted on ANSYS®. Two models of the foot are designed with and without Steps on the toe and heel, where the difference of Steps showed difference in the energy stored in the foot during stimulation. TPU being a flexible material with high strength and durability is chosen as the material for the 3D printed foot. The analysis performed on the foot is for an 80 kg person at different angles during the gait cycle for the K2 human activity level. The results obtained indicate high energy storage ability of TPU that is 0.044 J/Kg, comparative to other materials Hytrel, Delrin, and Carbon Fiber DA that are commonly used in passive foots.
RESUMEN
During the current Pandemic, seven and a half million flights worldwide were canceled which disrupted the supply chain of all types of goods such as, personal protective gears, medical health devices, raw materials, food, and other essential equipments. The demand for health and medical related goods increased during this period globally, while the production using classical manufacturing techniques were effected because of the lockdowns and disruption in the transporation system. This created the need of geo scattered, small, and rapid manufacturing units along with a smart computer aided design (CAD) facility. The availability of 3D printing technologies and open source CAD design made it possible to overcome this need. In this article, we present an extensive review on the utilization of 3D printing technology in the days of pandamic. We observe that 3D printing together with smart CAD design show promise to overcome the disruption caused by the lockdown of classical manufacturing units specially for medical and testing equipment, and protective gears. We observe that there are several short communications, commentaries, correspondences, editorials and mini reviews compiled and published; however, a systematic state-of-the-art review is required to identify the significance of 3D printing, design for additive manufacturing (AM), and digital supply chain for handling emergency situations and in the post-COVID era. We present a review of various benefits of 3DP particularly in emergency situations such as a pandemic. Furthermore, some relevant iterative design and 3DP case studies are discussed systematically. Finally, this article highlights the areas that can help to control the emergency situation such as a pandemic, and critically discusses the research gaps that need further research in order to exploit the full potential of 3DP in pandemic and post-pandemic future era.