Adding Brand: Design, Branding and Additive Manufacture in the production of tangible prosthetic products.

Abstract

<p><b>Design, Branding and Additive Manufacture in the production of tangible prosthetic products. </b></p><p>For the New Zealand Artificial Limbs Service, (NZALS) prosthetic design has skipped the mechanisation and mass production paradigm seen in the automation of consumer production. This industry predominantly uses traditional hand fabrication methods to produce prosthetics as a one-off appendage. This research asks; how can design communicate the possibilities of Additive Manufacture? </p><p>This research addresses the creation of branded designed products for the NZALS, and as a result, exposes the predominantly service based industry of the NZALS to a product focused methodology through traditional </p><p>industrial design practices. This has been achievable by investigating emerging platforms of manufacturing in both Digital and Additive Manufacturing (3D printing), with the development of the designs in this research focused on brand, client and company identity. This focus addresses the integration of an Industry 4.0 model in favour of the amputee client, and realises future outlooks of prosthetic production envisioned by the NZLAS. </p><p>Design research in this thesis has seen the creation of two prosthetic products. Firstly, a below-the- knee Prosthetic Fairing (Easycover), and secondly, a fully 3D printed below-the- knee prosthetic (Easylimb). The research undertaken shows the importance of creating tangible and readymade products to allow the NZALS, it’s staff and amputee clientele, to understand the benefits of design, branding, and emerging platforms of manufacture in the production of prosthetic diversity. </p>