Florida-based Slice Engineering believes additive manufacturing can reshape industry and make a lasting impact on humanity, and is working hard to empower innovators and professionals. The company does this by designing and manufacturing components such as nozzles, hot ends, and extruders for industrial polymer extrusion 3D printers that are often used to make prosthetics.
“From customized consumer goods to personalized medical devices, additive manufacturing enables the production of unique, highly personalized products, creating new market opportunities and improving customer experiences,” Slice Engineering wrote in a blog post about why AM matters.
Slice Engineering is currently partnering with Hand-in-Hand, a Cairo, Egypt-based NGO that works to provide free 3D printed prosthetic limbs to low-income and impoverished amputees.
Recent”Market Trends and Opportunities in Medical Devices, Prosthetics, Dentistry and AudiologyAccording to AM Research (AMR)’s “Advances in 3D Printing” report, 3D printing has had a significant impact on the healthcare sector over the past two decades by reducing development costs, spurring innovation in advanced medical devices, facilitating the manufacturing of personalized medical devices, and increasing the accessibility of prosthetics. As we have all seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, the technology has helped streamline the supply chain by bringing device design and manufacturing closer to healthcare providers and patients. AMR predicts that revenues for the 3D printed medical device market will reach $16.5 billion by 2034, with dentistry, audiology, and prosthetics, among others, seeing significant growth driven by 3D printing.
Slice Engineering recently recognized Hand in Hand for their outstanding efforts in providing free prosthetic limbs to those who need them most, including children. According to the company’s press release, their technology provides “the most important element to repeatedly and rapidly manufacture prosthetic limbs that work for patients,” helping to increase Hand in Hand’s 3D printing productivity by more than five times.
Headquartered in Giza, the non-profit was founded by Mohamed Khattab, who was diagnosed with cancer at the young age of nine. His childhood battle with cancer inspired him to want to help others and led him to study bioengineering to manufacture prosthetic limbs. Hand in Hand’s mission is to provide assistance to amputees through custom prosthetic limbs, lifelong maintenance and even psychological rehabilitation to help them better integrate into society.
Egypt is a developing country with a significant number of amputees, many of which are the result of dangerous regional conflicts, diseases such as osteosarcoma and diabetes, and accidents. Hand in Hand estimates that there are more than one million amputations in Egypt, with 75% of these resulting from accidents caused by negligence of safety procedures. It is estimated that 20% of amputees in the country are children between the ages of 5 and 18, and 50% are workers between the ages of 18 and 40.
However, many of these amputees cannot afford to purchase prosthetic limbs, let alone customized ones, due to their high cost. This obviously does little to improve their quality of life. That’s where Hand-in-Hand comes in. According to their website, the NGO aims to “improve the lives of amputees in Egypt by providing free 3D printed prosthetic limbs.”
Hand-in-Hand offers below-knee, below-elbow and below-wrist (palm) prosthetics, and as of 2024, their newest product is an above-knee prosthetic.
To get one of these 3D-printed prosthetics, amputees must first visit the foundation’s Facebook or Instagram page and submit photos and videos of their amputation to see if a prosthesis can be made. Once Hand-in-Hand confirms, an appointment is set for the patient to visit their headquarters, where paperwork and personal data are collected and a social survey is completed. The foundation also completes a physical and psychological assessment of the patient and takes the measurements needed to make the prosthesis.
The appliances are then made and, if no revisions are needed, the patient comes in a week later to pick up the appliances, after which monthly and yearly follow-up and maintenance appointments are set up.
Slice Engineering wants more people to know about Hand-in-Hand’s inspiring work using 3D printing to help those who need it most.
“Hand-in-Hand demonstrates the tremendous positive impact our industry can have on people’s lives around the world, and it’s heartening to see these important humanitarian goals achieved in such a meaningful way,” said Dan Baruse, CEO of Slice Engineering.
If you’re interested in contributing financially to Hand-to-Hand’s work, you can donate here.
The post Slice Engineering and Egyptian NGO Provide Free 3D Printed Prosthetic Limbs to Amputees – 3DPrint.com appeared first on World Of Tech News.
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