SLS NYLON 12 CHARACTERIZATION THROUGH TENSILE TESTING AND DIGITAL IMAGE CORRELATION FOR FINITE ELEMENT MODELLING OF FOOT AND ANKLE-FOOT ORTHOSES

摘要

Selective Laser Sintering has been recently proposed as a feasible engineering technique for manufacturing of customized ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs). Development of computer-aided design (CAD) models and virtual evaluation of the orthotic devices are important steps in the engineering design process. This paper will describe a method for accurate characterization of SLS Nylon 12 mechanical properties to be implemented in the finite element models (FEM) of AFOs. Elastic mechanical properties were determined for principal and perpendicular building directions.