Design, Applications, and Challenges of 3D-Printed Custom Orthotics Aids: A Review

3D-printing technologies give better alternatives to improve on the functional abilities and traditional manufacturing technique of custom orthotics aids. The flexibility of design, mass customization, use of biodegradable materials and ability to build complex structures make it more popular over traditional methods. The traditional plaster of Paris method is bulky, breathless and fixed. The traditional method of fabrication may cause skin diseases, uneasiness and misalignment of joints. 3d printed orthotic aids overcome these problems. In this work recent advance in 3d-printed orthotics aids are presented. The design of fully customized 3d-printed orthotic aids is presented in a proper sequence. The geometrical data from patients affected parts are taken using photogrammetry software or 3-D scanner and data is imported in CAD modeler followed by modeling and topological optimization for stress analysis. The literature available on different 3d printing technologies used for printing orthotics aids is minutely reviewed. The selection of the right material for an orthotic aid is very important for its success. The physical properties of materials like strength, toughness, density, wear resistance and heat resistance are considered while selecting the materials for printing. The different types of polymers used for fabrication of orthotics are discussed in this paper in detail. Apart from this challenge for the fabrication of orthotics aids using 3d printing also reviewed.