Paediatric ankle-foot orthosis (AFO)
A flexible TPU test brace for Art of the Arch, modelled to their measurements and printed for a hands-on flex and durability test.
- Client
- Art of the Arch
- What it is
- A test piece for the material, not a finished medical device
- Size
- 1:1 paediatric, about the size for a five- or six-year-old
- Straps
- Velcro, a quick stand-in for this test round
- Length of the tested design, up from 117.39 mm
- 133.75 mm
- From agreeing the scope to the test session
- 13 days
- Design revisions, the last approved on 10/07/2026
- 3
What we brought
What we can do
A test piece in under two weeks
Scope agreed on 02/06/2026, the brace printed on 10/06/2026 and flex-tested with Art of the Arch on 15/06/2026.
How we look after you
The material, tested as it is
We printed the shell in flexible TPU and left it uncoated, so the test showed how the material bends.
What you get
Every change agreed in 3D first
Three revisions in the project deck, from a longer shell to smoother corners, each reviewed by Art of the Arch.
Gallery
The whole project at a glance. Drag or swipe to browse; tap a picture to enlarge it.
1 / 18
-
The finished piece
-
Both straps fastened, from the front.
-
The other side, strapped up.
-
Head-on, from the toe end.
-
The smooth heel, from behind.
-
The TPU shell bending in the hand.
-
Undoing the two Velcro straps.
-
The bare shell, all the way round.
-
Design and prototyping · Rev 1RenderThe revised design beside the first.
-
RenderThe broad straps and their slots.
-
Design and prototyping · Rev 2RenderThe narrower gap at the cuff.
-
RenderThe Rev 2 design, turning.
-
Design and prototyping · Rev 3RenderThe smoothed toe corner, old and new.
-
RenderThe approved Rev 3 design.
-
ProductionThe bare TPU shell from the side.
-
The open cuff and strap slots.
-
Build and assemblyFoam padding lines the cuff.
-
A strap undone, showing its slot.
The build
How we built it
5 steps, from the brief to the finished piece. Pick a step to jump to it.
The brief
Step 1 of 5 · 02/06/2026
- Scale
- 1:1, paediatric reference size (about age five to six)
- Quantity
- One test unit, made to Art of the Arch's measurements
- Material
- Flexible TPU, as printed
- Test
- A flex and durability session with Art of the Arch at our studio
At Additive Inn, our 3D printing studio in Singapore, we made a test ankle-foot orthosis (AFO), a brace for a child's foot and ankle, for Art of the Arch. They wanted to see how a flexible printed shell handles bending before planning production.
Design and prototyping
Step 2 of 5 · 08/06/2026
We modelled the brace in 3D from Art of the Arch's measurements and agreed it in a project deck. The first revision was approved for printing; two more followed the test.
-
Rev 1 · 08/06/2026
Lengthened from 117.39 mm to 133.75 mm, with two broad, lower straps and slots on both sides.
Render +1 more
-
Rev 2 · 23/06/2026
After the test, the sharp toe edge was smoothed and the cuff gap narrowed, left open to avoid pressure.
Render +1 more
-
Rev 3 · 10/07/2026
The corners were smoothed further for comfort. Art of the Arch approved this design.
Render +1 more
Production
Step 3 of 5 · 10/06/2026
We FDM 3D printed the shell in flexible TPU, so it bends with movement rather than cracking like a rigid print. It was left as printed, because the test was about the material itself.
Build and assembly
Step 4 of 5
We lined the cuff with foam padding and threaded two Velcro straps through the slots on each side, ready for the test.
The final build
Step 5 of 5 · 10/07/2026
Art of the Arch flexed and tested the brace with us at our studio on 15/06/2026. Their notes led to two more design rounds, approved on 10/07/2026. Thickness, strap type, forefoot width and trim lines are left for the next phase.
How it flexes
The printed test brace in the hand.
More product development
See all product development →-
Eyewear fitting face for optician training A realistic mannequin face for an eyewear company's optician training kit, modelled from a reference head and designed on an articulating base. -
Sze Imn Chan Modular response box with slider lids A compact PLA response box for Sze Imn Chan's research team, with magnetic top lids that switch it between sliders and push buttons. -
Face mask for deaf and hard-of-hearing people A face mask with a clear window so lips stay readable, designed by NUS students and made real in flexible resin with a formed visor.