Creating Custom Prosthetic Arms Using Fusion 360's Solid and Mesh Modeling

Description

Victoria Hand Project (VHP) is a charity that designs and deploys low-cost 3D printed prosthetic arms in resource-poor areas of the world. VHP provides clinicians in these regions with the tools and training to create custom prosthetic arms, including in-house developed software that utilizes Fusion 360 to create these devices. In the past, VHP has struggled to create prosthetic devices for upper-arm amputees (i.e. above elbow), due to the complex geometry of the 3D scans, and the in-depth knowledge/workflow required by the clinicians to make the devices. By combining both Solid Modeling and Mesh Modeling, VHP has been able to improve the workflow for creating upper-arm prosthetic sockets. This workflow allows for further automation of the prosthetic socket creation through VHP’s software, which integrates with the Fusion 360 API. This empowers VHP’s in-country partners to create custom upper-arm prosthetic devices quickly and easily, allowing for improved access to prosthetic care.

Key Learnings

• Create custom healthcare devices by combining 3D scanning and CAD tools.
• Convert 3D scans into solid bodies using the new Fusion 360 organic mesh conversion tool.
• Integrate Fusion 360 in clinical settings to improve productivity.
• Implement custom product design workflows using the Fusion 360 API.