Thanks in large part to 3D printing technology, companies, vendors, and manufacturers can help consumers attain the personalization they seek in this era of putting a personal stamp on everything.
One of the more interesting facets of this trend is from Fathom, a technology driven company with 3D printing and additive manufacturing expertise. The company recently developed an app–#CAST.
Pronounced Hash Cast, it’s a new way for patients to turn the more traditional method of writing on the cast supporting a broken arm or leg, and use those personal messages to create a unique cast.
Using the latest manufacturing technologies and 3D CAD software, an arm can be 3D scanned at a doctor’s office and a one-of-a-kind cast made in a breathable nylon material using Selective Laser Sintering (SLS).
Using the #CAST mobile app, users can approve or reject personal messages collected through their preferred social networks. Once the maximum amount of characters allowed are approved by the user, a custom fit design is generated and built then delivered to their medical facility and fitted on the user by a specialist.
According to Industrial Designer, Ava DeCapri, this project was inspired by the influx of 3D printed casts in the additive manufacturing community — headline-making applications such as Osteoid, the 3D printed cast with healing ultrasonic vibrations created by Turkish student Deniz Karasahin, and the Cortex Cast by student Jake Evill. Both examples use 3D printing technologies in innovative ways.
While discussing the benefits of the various 3D printed cast designs, DeCapri became focused on the users experience from an interactive standpoint. It’s classic to see personalized notes written in marker on a traditional cast. That’s when she realized a big part of the user experience was missing. The #CAST app provides that unique experience for the user while still benefiting from the innovative structure that improves healing and comfort.
However, development was not without challenges. “The main challenge with the #CAST,” noted DeCapri, “was translating the text from the app into a supportive structure. We experimented with different methods of translating the text to the cast surface in RHINO CAD software.”
The design team finalized a way of using paneling tools and manipulating control points based on the break point identified on the original scan. This method worked well, as the team was able to create denser letter groupings around the break, where more support was needed and airier sections where support was less crucial. Having this flexibility to customize the density of the cast allows for a breathable, lighter, and all around more comfortable structure for the wearer that’s built out of personal messages just for them.
This project was an opportunity for Fathom to demonstrate what is possible with current technologies, an example of the tools and expertise available to customers. While individuals cannot order a #CAST cast, a private physician can work with Fathom for their clients.
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