POLYCENTRIC KNEE PROSTHESIS WITH CARBON FABRIC REINFORCED POLYMER: FABRICATION AND STRUCTURAL EVALUATION
Keywords:
polycentric knee, prosthesis, polymer-matrix composites, vacuum resin infusion
Abstract
A prosthetic knee is an important, functional, dynamic component of a transfemoral prosthesis. This paper details a step-by-step fabrication procedure for a passive polycentric knee using carbon-fabric-reinforced polymer in a sequential order. The Solidworks® 2022 software package was used for part modelling and assembling. The three-dimensional model developed was the base for planning, visual ideation, feasibility assessment and physical prototyping. The parts of the composite knee were manufactured using a vacuum-assisted resin-infusion method. The moulds for the infusion process were designed and developed by fused-deposition modelling. The experimental static structural testing was performed in accordance with the ISO 10328 standard to evaluate the structural strength of the prosthetic knee.
References
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8. Mangera T, Kienhöfer F, Carlson KJ, et al, Optimal material selection for the construction of a paediatric prosthetic knee. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part L: Journal of Materials: Design and Applications, 232(2015),137–47, doi:10.1177/1464420715620228.
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11. Hamad QA, Oleiwi JK., Abdulrahman SA. Tensile properties of laminated composite prosthetic socket reinforced by different fibers. Materials Today: Proceedings, (2021), doi: 10.1016/j.matpr.2021.06.348.
12. Petersen R. Carbon fiber biocompatibility for implants, Fibers, 4 (2016) 4, doi:10.3390/fib4010001.
13. Klasson BL, Carbon Fibre and Fibre Lamination in prosthetics and orthotics, Prosthetics & Orthotics International, 19 (1995) 2, 74-91, doi:10.3109/03093649509080349.
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19. Vitali A, Regazzoni D, Rizzi C, et al, Design and additive manufacturing of lower limb prosthetic socket. Systems, Design, and Complexity, 11(2017), doi:10.1115/imece2017-71494.
20. South BJ, Fey NP, Bosker G, et al, Manufacture of energy storage and return prosthetic feet using selective laser sintering. Journal of Biomechanical Engineering. 132 (2009) 1, doi:10.1115/1.4000166.
21. Etoundi AC, Vaidyanathan R, Burgess SC, A bio-inspired condylar knee joint for leg amputees and for knee implants, WIT Transactions on Ecology and The Environment. (2012). DOI: 10.2495/DNE-V8-N3-213-225.
22. Vasanthanathan A., Amudhan K, Govinthan CM, et al. Non‐articulated hybrid glass and carbon‐reinforced Shank tube for bio‐medical applications. Polymer Composites. 43 (2022) 8 :5726-5735. doi:10.1002/pc.26891.
23. Junqueira DM, Gomes GF, Silveira ME, et al, Design optimization and development of tubular isogrid composites tubes for lower limb prosthesis, Applied Composite Materials, 26(2018)1: 273-297. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10443-018-9692-2.
24. Strike S, Hillery M. The design and testing of a composite lower limb prosthesis. Proc Inst Mech Eng H. 214 (2000) 6:603-14. DOI: 10.1243/0954411001535633.
25. Bartkus EK, Colvin JM, Arbogast RE. Development of a novel lower limb prosthesis using low-cost composite materials. Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites. 13(1994)4: 301-313. doi:10.1177/073168449401300402.
26. https://urjafabrics.com/carbon-fibre-fabrics
27. Chand S. Journal of Materials Science, 35(2000)6, 1303-1313. doi:10.1023/a:1004780301489.
28. Jin F, Li X, Park S, Synthesis and application of epoxy resins: A Review. Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, 29(2015): 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.jiec.2015.03.026.
29. Hsiao K, Heider D, Vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) in Polymer Matrix Composites. Manufacturing Techniques for Polymer Matrix Composites (PMCs), (2012), 310-347. doi:10.1533/9780857096258.3.310.
30. Talabari A, Alaei M, Shalian H, Experimental investigation of tensile properties in a glass/epoxy sample manufactured by vacuum infusion, vacuum bag and hand layup process. Revue Des Composites Et des Matériaux Avancés, 29(2019)3, 179-182. doi:10.18280/rcma.290308.
31. Vasanthanathan A, Navin Kumar C. Fabrication of Aluminum honeycomb cored carbon fabric/epoxy composite sandwich structures via vacuum assisted resin infusion technique. Polymer Composites. 43 (2021) 3:1407-1420. doi:10.1002/pc.26461.
32. Radcliffe CW. Four-bar linkage prosthetic knee mechanisms. Prosthetics & Orthotics International. 18(3) (1994): 159-173. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/03093649409164401.
33. Michael JW. Modern Prosthetic Knee Mechanisms. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, 361(1999): 39-47. DOI: 10.1097/00003086-199904000-00006
34. Ultimaker S3 Product data sheet (https://ultimaker.com/3d-printers/ultimaker-s3)
35. ISO 10328:2016 Prosthetics — Structural testing of lower-limb prostheses — Requirements and test methods.
36. https://shop.ottobock.us/Prosthetics/Lower-Limb-Prosthetics/Knees---Mechanical/c/1300
37. https://media.ossur.com/ossur-dam/image/upload/product-documents-global/Balance_Knee_OFM1_us_en_PN20206.pdf
38. https://www.endoliteindia.com/products/4-bar-knee-with-pspc
2. Persson B. Lower limb amputation part 1. Prosthetics & Orthotics International, 25(2001), 7–13, doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/03093640108726562.
3. McDonald CL, Westcott-McCoy S, Weaver MR, et al, Global prevalence of traumatic non-fatal limb amputation. Prosthetics & Orthotics International, 45(2020),105–114, doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/0309364620972258
4. Laferrier JZ, Groff A, Hale S, Sprunger NA, A review of commonly used prosthetic feet for developing countries: A call for research and development. Journal of Novel Physiotherapies, 08(2018), doi: https://doi.org/10.4172/2165-7025.1000380.
5. Lara-Barrios CM, Blanco-Ortega A, Guzmán-Valdivia, CH., et al, Literature review and current trends on transfemoral powered prosthetics. Advanced Robotics, 32 (2017) 2:51-62. doi:10.1080/01691864.2017.1402704.
6. Amudhan K, Vasanthanathan A, Anish Jafrin Thilak J. An insight into transfemoral prostheses: Materials, modelling, simulation, fabrication, testing, Clinical Evaluation and Performance Perspectives. Expert Review of Medical Devices, 19(2022), 123–40. doi:10.1080/17434440.2022.2039624.
7. Mohanty RK, Mohanty RC, Sabut SK. Design and analysis of polycentric prosthetic knee with enhanced kinematics and stability, Phys Eng Sci Med, 46 (2023) 1:209-226, doi: 10.1007/s13246-022-01211-6.
8. Mangera T, Kienhöfer F, Carlson KJ, et al, Optimal material selection for the construction of a paediatric prosthetic knee. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part L: Journal of Materials: Design and Applications, 232(2015),137–47, doi:10.1177/1464420715620228.
9. Arbilei MN, Prediction of mechanical and wear properties of 6026 Aluminum alloy waste to be used in prosthetics limbs. AIP Conference Proceedings, (2018), doi:10.1063/1.503922
10. Faheed KN, Hamad AQ, Oleiwi KJ. Tensile and stress analysis of hybrid composite prosthetic socket reinforced with natural fibers. Journal of Renewable Materials.10(2022), 1989–2013, doi:10.32604/jrm.2022.017573.
11. Hamad QA, Oleiwi JK., Abdulrahman SA. Tensile properties of laminated composite prosthetic socket reinforced by different fibers. Materials Today: Proceedings, (2021), doi: 10.1016/j.matpr.2021.06.348.
12. Petersen R. Carbon fiber biocompatibility for implants, Fibers, 4 (2016) 4, doi:10.3390/fib4010001.
13. Klasson BL, Carbon Fibre and Fibre Lamination in prosthetics and orthotics, Prosthetics & Orthotics International, 19 (1995) 2, 74-91, doi:10.3109/03093649509080349.
14. Nelham R, Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic applied to prosthetics and orthotics. Journal of Biomedical Engineering. 3 (1981) 4: 305-314, doi:10.1016/0141-5425(81)90137-0.
15. Snelson R, Fabrication of vacuum-formed sockets for limb prostheses. Orthotics Prosthetics, 27 (1973) 3, 3–13.
16. Davies RM, Russell D, Vacuum formed thermoplastic sockets for prostheses. Disability Strathclyde Bioengineering Seminars Book Series. (1979):385–390. doi: 10.1007/978-1-349-04835-9_47.
17. Coombs AG, Lawrence RB, Davies RM, Rotational moulding in the production of prostheses. Prosthetics & Orthotics International, 9 (1985) 1, 31-36, doi:10.3109/03093648509164822.
18. Mohammed HS, Salman JM, Design and modelling the prosthetic foot from suitable composite materials. American. J Eng Appl Sci. 13(2020)3, 516 – 522, doi: https://doi.org/10.3844/ajeassp.2020.516.522
19. Vitali A, Regazzoni D, Rizzi C, et al, Design and additive manufacturing of lower limb prosthetic socket. Systems, Design, and Complexity, 11(2017), doi:10.1115/imece2017-71494.
20. South BJ, Fey NP, Bosker G, et al, Manufacture of energy storage and return prosthetic feet using selective laser sintering. Journal of Biomechanical Engineering. 132 (2009) 1, doi:10.1115/1.4000166.
21. Etoundi AC, Vaidyanathan R, Burgess SC, A bio-inspired condylar knee joint for leg amputees and for knee implants, WIT Transactions on Ecology and The Environment. (2012). DOI: 10.2495/DNE-V8-N3-213-225.
22. Vasanthanathan A., Amudhan K, Govinthan CM, et al. Non‐articulated hybrid glass and carbon‐reinforced Shank tube for bio‐medical applications. Polymer Composites. 43 (2022) 8 :5726-5735. doi:10.1002/pc.26891.
23. Junqueira DM, Gomes GF, Silveira ME, et al, Design optimization and development of tubular isogrid composites tubes for lower limb prosthesis, Applied Composite Materials, 26(2018)1: 273-297. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10443-018-9692-2.
24. Strike S, Hillery M. The design and testing of a composite lower limb prosthesis. Proc Inst Mech Eng H. 214 (2000) 6:603-14. DOI: 10.1243/0954411001535633.
25. Bartkus EK, Colvin JM, Arbogast RE. Development of a novel lower limb prosthesis using low-cost composite materials. Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites. 13(1994)4: 301-313. doi:10.1177/073168449401300402.
26. https://urjafabrics.com/carbon-fibre-fabrics
27. Chand S. Journal of Materials Science, 35(2000)6, 1303-1313. doi:10.1023/a:1004780301489.
28. Jin F, Li X, Park S, Synthesis and application of epoxy resins: A Review. Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, 29(2015): 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.jiec.2015.03.026.
29. Hsiao K, Heider D, Vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) in Polymer Matrix Composites. Manufacturing Techniques for Polymer Matrix Composites (PMCs), (2012), 310-347. doi:10.1533/9780857096258.3.310.
30. Talabari A, Alaei M, Shalian H, Experimental investigation of tensile properties in a glass/epoxy sample manufactured by vacuum infusion, vacuum bag and hand layup process. Revue Des Composites Et des Matériaux Avancés, 29(2019)3, 179-182. doi:10.18280/rcma.290308.
31. Vasanthanathan A, Navin Kumar C. Fabrication of Aluminum honeycomb cored carbon fabric/epoxy composite sandwich structures via vacuum assisted resin infusion technique. Polymer Composites. 43 (2021) 3:1407-1420. doi:10.1002/pc.26461.
32. Radcliffe CW. Four-bar linkage prosthetic knee mechanisms. Prosthetics & Orthotics International. 18(3) (1994): 159-173. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/03093649409164401.
33. Michael JW. Modern Prosthetic Knee Mechanisms. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, 361(1999): 39-47. DOI: 10.1097/00003086-199904000-00006
34. Ultimaker S3 Product data sheet (https://ultimaker.com/3d-printers/ultimaker-s3)
35. ISO 10328:2016 Prosthetics — Structural testing of lower-limb prostheses — Requirements and test methods.
36. https://shop.ottobock.us/Prosthetics/Lower-Limb-Prosthetics/Knees---Mechanical/c/1300
37. https://media.ossur.com/ossur-dam/image/upload/product-documents-global/Balance_Knee_OFM1_us_en_PN20206.pdf
38. https://www.endoliteindia.com/products/4-bar-knee-with-pspc
Published
2023-07-29
How to Cite
1.
Vasanthanathan A, K A, Thilak JAJ. POLYCENTRIC KNEE PROSTHESIS WITH CARBON FABRIC REINFORCED POLYMER: FABRICATION AND STRUCTURAL EVALUATION. MatTech [Internet]. 2023Jul.29 [cited 2025Nov.18];57(4):385–393. Available from: https://mater-tehnol.si/index.php/MatTech/article/view/881
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