Material Performance Evaluation for Customized Orthoses: Compression, Flexural, and Tensile Tests Combined with Finite Element Analysis
Daniela Trindade, Rachel Habiba, Cristiana Fernandes, André A. Costa, Rui Silva, Nuno Alves, Rui F. Martins, Cândida Malça, Ricardo Branco, Carla Moura
Abstract
Orthoses are commonly used for treating injuries to improve the quality of life of patients, with customized orthoses offering significant benefits. Additive manufacturing, especially fused deposition modelling, enhances these benefits by providing faster, more precise, and more comfortable orthoses. The present study evaluates nine polymeric materials printed in horizontal and vertical directions by assessing their performance through compressive, flexural, and tensile tests. Among all materials, polycarbonate, polylactic acid, and ULTEMTM 1010 showed the most promising results, not only because they had the highest mechanical values, but also due to their minimal or no difference in performance between printing directions, making them advantageous in orthoses fabrication. Based on this, a finite element model of an ankle–foot orthosis was developed to simulate the deformation, strain, and stress fields under static conditions. The findings aim to optimize material selection for orthotic fabrication, where ULTEMTM 1010 is presented as the material with improved performance and durability.