Modular Knee Brace

grabcad

This is a prototype 3D-Printed Knee Brace. It can be used in providing additional support to individuals who have sustained a minor to major knee injury. It has undergone failure tests as well as testing while running through various agility drills. Given the simplicity of the design, it has performed extremely well.Please continue to improve upon the designFew things to note:This revision is not intended to be a complete replacement of conventional knee bracesThis design is intended to provide a low cost and customizable optionI welcome further improvement to the design; in it's current state it has not reached the design and performance potential I believe it can reach.The design is intended to be customized to the individual.The key measurements for sizing are as follows:approx. 7" above patella, measure around the front half of the thigh (half circumference)approx. 7" below patella, measure around the calf (half circumference)Measure across the midline of the patella to obtain the "width" of the kneeWhen changing sizing of the brace subtract 0.5" from measurements around the top and bottom portions of the brace (thigh and calf) in order to ensure a snug fit.Bill of Materials:Moleskin was used on the inner portion of the brace to increase comfort1.5" nylon straps with a buckle of your choosing (I used strapworks.com)Miscellaneous padding for the straps (I used rolled up headliner for testing). You can go as cheap as headliner or custom-make a neoprene padding.Printer Brand: StratasysPrinter: uPrint SE PlusRafts: YesSupports: YesInfill: VariousNotes:It is intended to be printed on any printer; however, it has only been fully printed on the printer noted above. The tolerance within the hinge assembly is just at the limit of the printer and requires dissolvable filament to be used as support structure. Infill Parameters: -Hinges: 100% -All other parts 60% or higherRequires dissolvable filament for the hingesAssembly Notes:File names denote where each piece goes (use the picture as a guide)Use a plastic cement to join the brace together (I used Oatley medium plastic cement)I noticed that PVC Cement works as well