3D wheelchair printing helps make production more affordable and personalised for users

A manufacturing company is hoping to transform the way wheelchairs are designed and manufactured by utilising 3D printing to make production more efficient, affordable, and personalised to the user.

Replique, a German-based digital manufacturing company, is leveraging HP’s Multi Jet Fusion technology to do this. Replique is working with RehaMedPower, a German-based medical supplier that specialises in wheelchairs.

When RehaMedPower was preparing to develop and bring to market a new electric wheelchair, the RP1, it struggled to find a cost-effective solution for part production, with traditional manufacturing methods requiring high initial investment costs and expensive moulds as well as an increase in prototyping and product-market time, according to Replique.

Using HP’s Multi Jet Fusion technology, Replique partnered with RehaMedPower to explore additive manufacturing for wheelchair design from prototyping to serial production. They identified more parts than initially planned for that could be manufactured using 3D printing. In addition to the “significant” costs saved from bypassing injection mould production, costs were further reduced with the digital storage of design files through Replique’s digital warehousing platform.

This 3D printing technology is hoping to enable wheelchairs to be more flexible in design and adapt to individual patient requirements. With the RP1 wheelchair, patients can customise various parts to their needs and lifestyles as well as choose from a wide colour range.

The RP1 supports independent living, whether lying down, standing, or sitting.

Mark Winker, Technical Sales Manager at Replique, commented: “Our collaboration with RehaMedPower shows, that 3D printing offers so much more than just efficient prototyping. It enables companies to deliver highly customer-centric solutions while remaining cost-effective and flexible in serial production thanks to our digital warehouse solution.

“We are looking forward to simplifying the life of RehaMedPower and most importantly, their valued patients.”

Recently, Adapt Ability launched the all-terrain Adapto powerchair, which features zero-degree turn capability for tight spaces.