Design and manufacture of equine hand prosthesis by additive manufacturing

Purpose This paper aims to design and manufacture an equine hand prosthesis using additive manufacturing, with an estimated useful life of one year. This approach offers a fast and affordable manufacturing alternative while ensuring the horse's safety, comfort and functionality. Design/methodology/approach The ground reaction force and the frequency of a horse’s walking were obtained from the literature. Mechanical tests were conducted on specimens with different manufacturing directions to determine the mechanical properties of the printed material. Finite element simulations, along with fatigue equations were used to design a geometry that respected the stress constraints. Subsequently, a prototype was manufactured in thermoplastic polyurethane using additive manufacturing technique. Findings With the aid of the proposed methodology, a new low-cost equine hand prosthesis is developed, and a prototype is manufactured. And in accordance with the design requirements, this prosthesis is intended to exhibit proper durability. Social implications This work presents an alternative way for horses facing amputation, offering a solution where euthanasia can be avoided through the use of a prosthesis to replace a part of the amputated limb. This approach could not only extend the reproductive life of matrices with high commercial value but also preserve the lives of animals with sentimental value to the owner. Originality/value To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study of an equine hand prosthesis model designed for and manufactured by additive manufacturing.