FIDIM 2 AFO Leg Brace

thingiverse

This is an evolution of the FIDIM 1 AFO leg brace that I uploaded earlier. This one has a somewhat better fit (for me) uses slightly less material (900 grams per brace) and uses a flexible TPU "hinge" instead of a fabricated steel one. I highly recommend Overture's "Easy Nylon" for these. It's relatively easy to print, and it is extremely strong. I don't yet know how long the TPU flexihinge will last, but I am testing this as we speak. I'll update and/or remove this design if I find that they don't last long. They will almost certainly need to be replaced on some interval, however. I used Duramic TPU with a shore hardness of 95A for the flexihinges and the rear bumper. I walk about 10 kilometers per day, so I think I'll be a pretty good case study for durability. I'm considering a new hinge design that's 95% 3d-printable if this doesn't work out. It would use a steel bushing and hinge pin for the part-on-part contact points, but the body of the hinge would be printable. These can be modified to fit with Blender's sculpting mode, and they can be shaped using a heat gun. I am a 100kg man, have high arches and significantly atrophied calves. I wear a US Size 10 shoe.