Students Create a Better Grip for 3D Printed Hands

The volunteers at e-NABLE have been working to create 3D printed prosthetic hands and arms for children, and their efforts have proved inspirational for others interested in assisting children. Brian Mennenoh and Tim Decker, volunteers with e-NABLE and teachers at Milwaukee Area Technical College's Animation Program, offered an optional assignment to their students to enhance available designs using the program's two MakerBot 3D printers. 26-year-old Brandon Evans stepped up to the plate, with his idea to create fingertips that would improve the hands' abilities to prick up and grip objects. Read about his efforts, and thoughts on filaments, in the full article: http://3dprint.com/62030/3d-printed-fingertip-grips/


Below is a look at a 3D printed prosthetic hand with fingertip grips:
http://3dprint.com/wp-content/upload...fingertip3.jpg

I loved this idea so much I attempted to design some flexible finger tips for the Cyborg Beast design. The true test seems to be if it can pick up and hold a glass. Problem was that both the Ninja flex and other flexible filament I tried proved unable to maintain grip without slipping. Perhaps something like Layfoam might work better, any suggestions? I appreciate all the work the community of makers has put into designing the eNable prosthetics.

So has anyone come up with a material to use yet?

Right now the only solution i see around is to use Lee Tippi finger grips, which sadly are not available in the UK. So that means I'd have to order them from the USA, pay huge shipping fees and then import costs too. the price of a hand goes up by about 5 times!

You might try one of the flexible filaments and make a pad that would get attached via adhesive. I think the vantage of the Lee products is they work well and can be user replaced.

You could try dipping a finger in liquid latex multiple time which would work well until it came off or got really dirty. I was actually thinking of trying this myself. They also sell liquid silicone for mold making where you mix to parts together and it cures but not sure how well it would adhere to the plastic finger.

Hey Airscapes, thanks for your reply.

I have tried flexible filament but it?s not grippy enough. A friend also suggested dipping the finger in silicone, but I was concerned about it degrading.

I?ve got another idea that I want to try out. Once I?ve completed my experiment I?ll share the results with you on here. If it works then it?s a cheap fix and users will be able to maintain it too

oh great! i am also working for on this project os there any leads to know more about this