Development of a Standard of Testing and Evaluation for 3D-Printed Pediatric Upper Limb Prosthetic

The purpose of this study was to identify which common polymers utilized for 3D-printing provide optimum mechanical properties for use in pediatric upper limb prosthetics and to develop a standard method of failure mode testing which can be applied across a wide range of devices. Selected devices were also tested for their ability to complete existing standard usability tasks. Results of mechanical testing showed that ABS filament provided the most robust material properties, and that print orientation showed no significant effect on ultimate tensile strength. The standard failure mode test developed showed consistent results across all designs tested and was quickly repeatable and accessible to those unfamiliar with mechanical testing. Tasks requiring a tripod or lateral prehensile grip on lightweight objects were most successful, while large and heavy objects and spherical prehensile grip were the least. These findings will be useful in the development of a standard of testing and evaluation for 3D-printed upper limb prosthetics so that they can be better understood by the medical and clinical community, identifying their strengths and weaknesses in a straightforward manner.