Know-How Technology Transfer, Localization of Prosthetic Feet Manufacturing Processes and Production Guidelines in Egypt

Summary

Many people in Egypt and around the world may be at risk of amputation as a result of accidents, diabetes, or circulatory problems, …etc. According to statistics, majority of them are amputated below the knee and classified as transtibial amputees. This amputation prevents them from living in a normal way and they need artificial limbs to continue their daily living activities. Processing route of Prosthetics and Orthotics (P&O) comprises of four steps: capture of the residual limb geometry, design of the P&O device, manufacturing, fitting the P&O device to the patient. The technology and know-how for some of these steps such as socket design and manufacturing, prosthetic limb assembly and fitting are available in Egypt. These steps are carried out in workshops which belongs to hospitals, clinics, and private companies which are available at some partners of this consortium. However, the design and manufacturing of the main prosthetic limb components such as the carbon fiber foot, foot shell, and connectors cannot be implemented in Egypt due to the lack of knowledge, know-how, technology, and equipment. Therefore, they are imported and assembled in these workshops. The import bill of these Prosthetics and Orthotics (P&O) costs Egypt more than 360 Million LE in 2019. The imported prosthetic feet are SACH feet and energy storing and return carbon fiber prosthetic feet. The value chain of P&O in Egypt needs development in the four steps and also in the feeding industries to reduce the import bill and provide the supplies, materials and components needed for the P&O industry.

Egypt suffers the lack of the state-of-the-art technologies for manufacturing P&O parts out of carbon fiber composites in accordance to the essential requirements of directive 93/42/EEC. Carbon fiber composites are recently used in P&O due to their light weight and high strength. Accordingly, better quality-of-life for the patients are attained meeting their age and work requirements. Manufacturing technique of the composite prosthetic limb developed from the traditional hand lay-up technique to Vacuum Assisted Resin Infusion VARI , then pressurized Resin Transfer Molding RTM and finally, the use of pre-impregnated carbon fabrics with resin PREPREG for reproducible and consistent quality. Except for some preliminary undergraduate students’ projects at Ain Shams University, RTM and PREPREG technologies are not available in either the Egyptian industrial or the research scale. However, the knowledge and the prototype experience are available with persons graduated from European technological universities.

The methodology followed in this project is to design the P&O composite part namely, fabric type, number of layers and the layer orientation. Also, to design the spring mechanism for the ankle foot joint. Then to manufacture the composite part by molding using RTM or PREPREG techniques and curing with autoclave. The adapter between the composite and the knee is machined. Other accessories like cosmetic foot shell is injected. The whole device is assembled and tested for fatigue according to ISO22675. The main activities in this project will focus on: design a prosthetic foot in a digitalized form, equipment purchasing for resin infusion and composite production,  manufacturing of  carbon fiber composite lower limb prothesis parts, manufacturing accessory parts using computerized numerical machines as well as injection molding machines, testing of the manufactured devices according to standards, and finally fitting and probation period of the P&O device with the patient. The expected outcome of this project is to develop a sustaining value chain of this P&O industry and provide the know-how to fabricate and produce carbon fiber products using RTM or PREPREG techniques. The impact of this project is not limited to the medical rehabilitation, but it will disseminate to other versatile aspects such as automobile industry, interdisciplinary research between engineering and health sciences, supporting entrepreneurs of this industry, international recognition by scientific publications and workshops, and supporting the new universities participating in this consortium.

Achievements

List of Publications from the Project

Partners

Project Members

• Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed Hassan Awad
• Ramadan Badawy Mohamed Elgamsy

Project Leaders