Prototype of Low‐Cost <scp>3D</scp> Printer for Assistive Medical Devices Based on Alternative Materials

ABSTRACT This paper describes the design of a working and low‐cost 3D printer with the explicit purpose of creating external medical aids with minimal resources in a setting‐constrained area like Iraq. This work has been motivated by the limited supply of medical grade printers that are commercially available and expensive, importation restrictions, and the growing demand for personalized assistive equipment in rehabilitation and clinical care. This prototype is scientifically tested as opposed to traditional DIY documentation by using dimensional accuracy tests, repeatability, and practical construction of a medical assistive model. The printer was assembled with components that are easily found in the local Iraqi markets, which makes them easy to maintain and economical. It had a build volume of 230 × 230 × 230 mm with a measured dimensional accuracy of about 91% (≤ 0.2 mm per layer) which is acceptable in nonimplantable medical devices. The system was able to generate bespoke splints and exoskeletal components that had predictable structural functioning. The article demonstrates the possibilities of the existing fabrication technologies to help clinical, educational, and research operations in the developing world. It is also a contextualized and practical model of increasing additive manufacturing capacities in the environment where commercial solutions are hard to acquire.