prosthetic Archives - Learn ColorFabb

In September 2016 we launched nGen_FLEX during the TCT Show in Birmingham. This new semi-flexible 3D printing filament was very well received (see the initial reactions here). At the show we showed the use in the field of prosthetics and we also hinted at skin tone colors that were under development.

Design: Fingers: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:387072/#files
Hand and mount: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:380665

Today we announce the availability of nGen_FLEX in five (5!) skin tone colors. These colors were chosen and developed together with several NGOs who are active in East Africa and the Middle East and with the goal to be able to meet local sensitivities in terms of printing prosthetics.

The colors are available are:

PANTONE 5Y08 SP – LIGHT BEIGE
PANTONE 2Y10 SP – MEDIUM BEIGE
PANTONE 4R15 SP – LIGHT BROWN
PANTONE 3R14 SP – MEDIUM BROWN
PANTONE 1R15 SP – DARK BROWN

We based the colors on the Pantone color chart. Although very close to the Pantone references, these are not exact matches.

These spools are currently only available in our webshop and in limited quantities only.

nGen_FLEX was released in September 2016 at the TCT Show and is our first semi-flexible material. With a Shore A hardness of 95 it is a material that is ideally suited for functional parts. It is not soft and squishy like other flexible materials in the market, but allows for fast printing and printing on 3D printers using a Bowden tube. It is made with Eastman Amphora™ 3D polymer FL6000.

nGen_FLEX is a material for users looking for an engineering grade flexible filament with a high temperature resistance (over 120 degrees C) and good chemical resistance. This makes it a very suitable material for prosthetics as shown on the pictures.

PANTONE 5Y08 SP – LIGHT BEIGE

PANTONE 2Y10 SP – MEDIUM BEIGE

PANTONE 4R15 SP – LIGHT BROWN

PANTONE 3R14 SP – MEDIUM BROWN

PANTONE 1R15 SP – DARK BROWN

3D printing is a technology that is perfectly suited for prosthetic and orthopedic designs. These applications require a high level of customization as well as complex shapes. We have seen this with companies like Mathis Orthopédie and organisations like Enable and 3D Life Prints.

To understand the needs and the challenges ourselves we have chosen to print a design for a prosthetic leg ourselves, using colorFabb_XT Dark Gray.

Design: https://grabcad.com/library/prosthetic-leg

This part was printed on a Swiss made Delta Tower with 0.15mm layer height. The design was altered slightly for better printing.

Please note that this model and print are made as a case study and not intended to be used in real life with a body’s weight supporting it. As you can see in the original design, the part we printed is meant to be the outer shell.

For this purpose colorFabb_XT is an excellent material.

colorFabb_XT is made with Eastman Amphora™ 3D polymer AM1800. Launched in September 2014, it is a fantastic functional engineering material. With colorFabb_XT we achieved to produce a filament that provides good strength and toughness, as well as certain FDA food contact compliances. It has found a wide audience amongst users looking for extra functionality. With a temperature resistance of 75+ degrees, this filament offers high strength and very high toughness, odor neutral processing, a styrene free formulation, FDA food contact compliance and BPA (Bisphenol A ) free formulation.

colorFabb_XT was our first co-polyester based filament. Our portfolio of co-polyester based filaments, made with Eastman Amphora polymers, has since extended with the all-round nGen, the high temperature resistant colorFabb_HT and semi-flexible nGen_FLEX. You can find more about what co-polyesters are by clicking here.