Manufacturing custom-contoured wheelchair seating: A state-of-the-art review

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Engineering
• Materials Science in Medical Devices
• Biomechanical Engineering

Background:

• Custom-contoured wheelchair seating enhances user stability, function, and reduces risks of pressure injuries and postural decline.
• Traditional manufacturing of these seating systems is labor-intensive and time-consuming.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate current custom-contoured wheelchair seating manufacturing processes.
• To identify limitations and suggest future manufacturing approaches.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature review spanning 40 years of custom seating products and processes.
• Consultation of recent orthotics and prosthetics literature for emerging trends.

Main Results:

• Five primary manufacturing processes exist, with Computer Numerical Controlled (CNC) milling gaining traction to reduce manual labor.
• Adjustable micro-modular seating and molded seat inserts are prevalent alternatives to traditional foam carving.
• No single current process is universally suitable for all users.

Conclusions:

• A need exists for faster, cost-effective, waste-minimizing, and micro-climate-regulating custom seating manufacturing.
• Additive manufacturing presents a potential solution, requiring further investigation.
• The industry trend is towards digital techniques, moving away from labor-intensive methods.