The article describes the experimental and simulation research on the material properties of the individualized wrist orthoses produced in the additive manufacturing (AM) process by the fused filament fabrication (FFF) method. The authors produced a series of standard (normalized) samples for three-point bending from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) filament on a low-budget 3D printer and a series of samples in the shape of a fragment of the orthosis and the entire orthosis. All types of samples were subjected to experimental tests on a universal testing machine, which allowed us to determine the modulus of elasticity of the produced materials by comparing it with finite element method (FEM) simulation models in the ABAQUS environment. The adopted research methodology allowed us to compare the material properties of the material of the entire product—wrist hand orthosis (WHO)—with the material properties of standard bending samples. The obtained values of Young’s modulus are characterized by a large discrepancy between the standard samples and the entire orthosis. On the other hand, the samples with the shape of the middle part of the orthosis were similar in the value of Young’s modulus to the results obtained during the examination of the complete orthosis.

Growing age and different conditions often require the replacement of orthoses, and FDM-based 3D printing can produce them quickly with less investment. In today’s market for orthotics, these characteristics are highly desired. Therefore, this study is fully focused on the optimization and strength analysis of FDM 3D-printed ankle–foot orthoses (AFO) fabricated using PLA and PLA reinforced with carbon fiber (PLA-C). An increase in ankle plantar-flexor force can be achieved by reinforcing thermoplastic AFOs with CFs. Specially designed mechanical strength tests were conducted at the UTM to generate force–displacement curves for stored elastic energy and fracture studies. The mechanical behavior of both AFOs was predicted with the help of an FEA. The model predictions were validated by comparing them with mechanical strength testing conducted under the same loading and boundary conditions as the FEA. In both the prediction and experimental analysis, the PLA-C-based AFOs were stiffer and could withstand greater loads than the PLA-based AFOs. An area of high stress in the simulation and a fracture point in experimentation were both found at the same location. Furthermore, these highly accurate models will allow the fabrication of AFOs to be improved without investing time and resources on trials.

Volatile organic compounds are released during 3D printing, which can irritate the throat mucosa, cause cardiovascular disease and even, in extreme cases, cause a stroke. The survey research was carried out regionally, in the Greater Poland area, with students and lecturers of Poznań University of Technology. The survey was conducted in October and November 2021 among 31 students and 4 lecturers. Students in their third year of engineering studies in Mechanics and Machine Design, Mechatronics, and Biomedical Engineering who are interested in 3D printing have contact with additive manufacturing, personally print on their printers at home or at someone else’s, or submit their projects for printing outside. The survey showed how long, how often and from what materials the items are most often printed. The survey also showed that over 60% of respondents keep the printer in a room where they spend most of the day or sleep. A simulation was made of how contaminants were extracted from the printer when opening the door during or just after additive manufacturing. The tests were carried out in the ANSYS Fluent 2021 simulation environment. Three experiments were carried out, which show how the contamination, depending on the density, circulates around the printer operator and how quickly it spreads around. It has been identified that the operator, in less than 3 s after opening the door, is exposed to the pollution previously accumulated inside the chamber. The pollutants emanating from the chamber take the form of a cloud surrounding the operator’s head.

The aim of this research was to determine the possibility of applying alternative techniques for the production of prototypes for spare parts in agriculture and to determine the possible directions of development of their applications in the engineering industry. Then, to determine which spare parts could be produced using the FDM technique, comparisons of the most important parameters of spare parts produced independently (using the FDM technique) and obtained from producers (produced using traditional methods in professional factories) were made. A number of factors were analysed, from technical parameters such as machine type, processed material and its consumption including required as support structures, to economic issues such as manufacturing or purchase delivery total time and cost. The FDM technique has proven itself in many ways in the production of spare parts for agricultural machinery.