IGF - Non-planar 3D printing on textiles

Project duration

01.01.2025 - 31.12.2026

Project partner

The independent, non-university research institution FILK Freiberg Institute gGmbH

Initial situation

Conventional orthosis production is reaching its limits, as individual adjustments are often time-consuming and material-inefficient. Although textile carrier materials offer lightness and comfort, their combination with 3D-printed structures is technically challenging. Previous solutions have shown weaknesses in terms of adhesion, mechanical stability and the integration of functional components such as conductor paths.

Project context

The project is located in the field of additive manufacturing and medical technology. It addresses the growing demand for personalized orthoses that are supplemented by intelligent materials and sensor technology. Both the ITM and FILK have gained extensive experience with 3D printing technology and working with textile carrier materials in previous projects.

Project objective

The aim of the project is to develop system and process technology for the cost-effective, patient-specific production of orthoses.

Project description

The project comprises five core phases:

Material selection: Characterization of textile materials (e.g. knitted fabrics) and printing materials for adhesive strength and flexibility (ITM)
Tensioning device: Development of an adaptive fixture that controls the stretch and tension of the textiles during printing (ITM)
Printing technology: Integration of a robotic arm for multidirectional extrusion to realize complex geometries on flexible surfaces (ITM & FILK)
Conductor tracks: Embedding conductive elements using silver-based conductive dispersions (FILK)
Demonstrators: Prototypes of orthoses with integrated conductive tracks (ITM & FILK)

Project benefits

The project is located in the field of additive manufacturing and medical technology. The integration of conductor tracks opens up applications in telemedicine, e.g. for real-time monitoring of joint loads. For companies, the technology strengthens competitiveness in the field of medical technology 4.0, while research partners gain knowledge in materials science and automation.