Design and 3D printing of flexible products for public health using TPU: social and economic issues

This paper presents, describes, and analyzes, from the perspective of social and economic sustainability, the development and manufacture of two products for use in public hospital with the use of 3d printing, having as main material a thermoplastic polyurethane polymer (TPU) in the form of filament. The applications were for the physiotherapy sector of the hospital, with a focus on urology and gynecology/obstetrics. The research and development method, of the experimental and exploratory type and based on Design, involved four main stages: 1) immersion in the problem through conversation with a specialist, research of similar and search for scientific articles related to the theme; 2) ideation using manual sketches and team discussion; 3) experimentation, through digital 3D modeling and 3D printing of prototypes, and 4) Testing of prototypes with patients by a specialist who requested the products. The need for flexible material was one of the common points between the products, and one of the main results pointed to TPU as a suitable material to produce prototypes through 3D printing, with both economic and social implications, which are analyzed in the end of the article.