A 3D printed children’s cast

A 3D printed children’s cast, made to fit each patient individually.

Client: Dr Michael Tamar.

Material: nylon 12.

Printing technology: MJF – nylon powder printing.

The main advantages

1. Waterproof
2. Comfortable to live with
3. Easy to remove

The technology and the material

The project was produced in MJF – Multi Jet Fusion, nylon powder printing. The part is built layer by layer inside a powder bed, with no supports, and the whole build volume is available for parts. That is what makes the technology suit small runs exactly: the chamber can be filled with dozens of different parts in one build, with no dedicated tooling to pay for.

The material is nylon 12 (PA12) – an engineering material with good mechanical durability, dimensional stability and an even matte finish. See more on choosing a material.

What matters in a cast for a child

• Weight – a child carries the cast for weeks. Every gram is felt.
• Ventilation – the open lattice prevents the itching and the smell that come with a closed cast.
• Waterproof – they can shower and go in the water without covering it.
• Easy removal – no cast saw, and none of the anxiety that goes with it.

See 3D printing in medicine.

A similar project of your own?

Send us a file or a description of the problem and you will get a recommendation on technology, material and timescale – talk to an engineer. See also product design and development and 3D printing production.