Mechanical Evaluation of PET-G 3D-Printed Wrist-Hand Orthosis: An Integrated Experimental and Numerical Approach

Limb injuries frequently necessitate orthotic bracing, and the utilization of material extrusion (MEX) additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing offers a rapid and cost-effective means of producing orthoses. These characteristics are highly sought after in today's orthotic market. The study focused on the mechanical strength analysis of the wrist-hand orthosis (WHO) made of PET-G filament. Experimental testing and simulation were employed to assess the properties of individualized wrist orthoses fabricated through the MEX AM process. Standard three-point bending samples were manufactured using PET-G filament on a low-cost MEX 3D printer, alongside orthotic fragments and complete orthosis. Experimental testing was performed using a universal testing machine, and results were juxtaposed with those from a finite element simulation model created in the Abaqus environment. This comprehensive research approach facilitates the comparison of the modulus of elasticity of the fabricated components, enabling a comparison between the mechanical properties of the complete wrist-hand orthosis (WHO) product and those of a conventional bending sample.