Braskem and DiveDesign team up to develop customized 3D printed canine wheelchair for Wobbly Hannah

Braskem (B3: BRKM3, BRKM5 and BRKM6; NYSE: BAK; LATIBEX: XBRK) (“Company”), the largest polyolefin producer in the Americas and a leading global pioneer in industrial-scale biopolymer production, and DiveDesign, an award-winning product design and marketing firm, have teamed up to develop a custom 3D printed canine wheelchair for the dog “Wobbly Hannah” (@wobblyhannahtotherescue). Hannah suffers from a neurological condition called cerebellar hypoplasia. This means that her brain does not communicate well with her body regarding movement, balance, and coordination. As a result, there is a delay in her body movements, and she needs a device to help her get around. Due to Hannah’s size and body movements, most of the wheelchairs available on the market simply do not suit her as they cannot support her properly, are either too big or topple over during use. Cassidy, Hannah’s guardian, tired of her limited options, contacted DiveDesign for a better solution to be created. “Hannah weighs 64 pounds and cannot stand on her own. We have tried several custom wheelchairs and they all failed; they were not made to support her weight and strength when she tries to move. We began to wonder if one day we could have something made for her that would offer the support she needs,” she says.

Cassidy first contacted DiveDesign in April 2021 to discuss possible alternatives. DiveDesign worked on creating concepts and prototypes of different designs, using state-of-the-art virtual scanning and design software, as well as Braskem’s innovative carbon fiber reinforced polypropylene (PP) filament for 3D printing (“CF-PP”) (“FL900PP-CF”). The company was able to develop a durable, lightweight wheelchair for Hannah in less than four months, all from virtual communication. Now Hannah’s body has the proper support and she is fully capable of living an active and healthier life, independently enjoying the freedom to do activities with her family and other dogs.

“When DiveDesign shared the opportunity and we saw Hannah on Instagram, we fell in love with her instantly. We immediately knew that having a durable, lightweight material would be the key to the success of the project. Our carbon fiber reinforced polypropylene was the perfect solution for Hannah’s wheelchair. She is an amazing dog, and we are very happy to be able to help her live a comfortable and happy life,” explains Jason Vagnozzi, Commercial Director of Additive Manufacturing for Braskem in the United States.

“My partner Adam Hecht and I were very fortunate to have been contacted by Jason at Braskem. Although our team has extensive knowledge and experience in additive manufacturing, finding a material that was ideal became a challenge. Jason joined the project with Braskem’s new CF-PP and gave us the confidence we needed to make this work for Hannah,” explains Alex Tholl, CEO of DiveDesign. For the full story of Hannah and the team’s journey to develop the carbon fiber reinforced polypropylene canine wheelchair, watch the video:

Award-winning design

Braskem and DiveDesign recently won The Cool Parts Showcase award, in the Best Bespoke Solution category, for their work with Hannah. Much like the award-winning video series The Cool Parts Show, the award highlights innovative solutions for everyday life made from 3D printing. Entries were open to anyone producing parts from additive technology. “The response to the award from entrants, people who voted, and those who attended the event was phenomenal,” says Stephanie Hendrixson, co-host of The Cool Parts Show with Peter Zelinski. “Over 2,500 fans voted to elect our winning pieces from among the 12 finalists. On behalf of The Cool Parts Show team, I would like to thank everyone who submitted their pieces and participated in the voting, as well as congratulate the creators of our winning pieces!”

Carbon fiber reinforced polypropylene

Braskem’s carbon fiber reinforced polypropylene filament allows users to 3D print lightweight and exceptionally rigid parts for sophisticated applications in the automotive, aerospace, marine, sporting goods, and more. Best of all, the FL00PP-CF is made 100% from recycled carbon fiber, which gives the product a more sustainable footprint while maintaining the exceptional performance expected from virgin carbon fiber.

Carbon fiber reinforced polypropylene filament for 3D printing from Braskem – main attributes:

100% recycled carbon fiber content

High stiffness and strength – 6x stronger than traditional PP filaments

Optimized for high resolution printing

Lightweight / low density

Excellent chemical resistance

Low shrinkage / warpage

High impermeability – does not absorb humidity, no drying required

Braskem’s carbon fiber reinforced polypropylene filament was developed for use in industrial and individual 3D printing applications, and is a great choice for rapid prototyping processes, custom product design, lightweight manufacturing, geometry optimization, and spare part design. Braskem’s carbon fiber reinforced polypropylene filaments are available in 1.75 mm and 2.85 mm diameters to suit a wide range of 3D printing applications and can be purchased online. For more information about Braskem’s additive manufacturing portfolio, including filaments, fused filament fabrication (FFF) powders, Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) and high-speed pellet extrusion, visit https://www.braskem.com/usa/3d-printing.

ABOUT DIVEDESIGN

DiveDesign is an award-winning industrial design agency that enables addition manufacturing technology companies to tell amazing stories by identifying market opportunities for new solutions. We are a small, tight-knit team of designers and engineers located in the small town of Boonton, New Jersey, near New York City. To learn more, visit www.divedesignco.com.

ABOUT THE COOL PARTS SHOW

The Cool Parts Show is a video series from Additive Manufacturing magazine. Hosted by Editor-in-Chief Peter Zelinski and Editor Stephanie Hendrixson, each episode focuses on an interesting 3D printed piece to explore how it was made and what it reveals about the possibilities of additive manufacturing.