Design and manufacturing process of 3D printed ankle-foot orthoses for podiatry

In this work, a systematic review of the design process of 3D printed ankle-foot orthosis techniques is carried out for podiatric applications. The most prominent factors related to the 3D printed AFOs are the manufacturing process's time and cost-effectiveness, which requires additional labor skills to ascertain the product quality. The chapter starts with the introduction of podiatry, associated medical procedures, and the motivation of 3D printed AFOs. An overview of conventional manufacturing and additive manufacturing is briefly discussed. A PRISMA report is generated to show the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the articles related to the 3D printing of AFOs. This is followed by a comprehensive review of conventional and recently developed AFOs. Their process methodologies within the constraints imposed by orthoses requirements have been presented. Thereafter, allied technologies such as computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM), computer-aided process planning and reverse engineering methods are discussed extensively in view of printed AFOs. The design feasibility of printed orthoses could be improved by considering the biomechanical control parameters during their usage over specified periods. This work presents a few such instances of control parameters with detailed methodology. The significant advances in 3D printing show the biocompatibility of both wearables and implanted products by regulating the surface characteristics and modifying the material composition. Finally, the challenges of the design and development process of 3D printed AFOs are discussed, along with the possible improvements.