Infill Pattern and Density of 3D-Printed Insoles Alter Energy and Pressure Distribution in Gait
1
Issued Date
2025-04-01
Resource Type
eISSN
20763417
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-105002281847
Journal Title
Applied Sciences (Switzerland)
Volume
15
Issue
7
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Applied Sciences (Switzerland) Vol.15 No.7 (2025)
Suggested Citation
Chatpun S., Dissaneewate T., Kwanyuang A., Nouman M., Srewaradachpisal S., Movrin D. Infill Pattern and Density of 3D-Printed Insoles Alter Energy and Pressure Distribution in Gait. Applied Sciences (Switzerland) Vol.15 No.7 (2025). doi:10.3390/app15073916 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/109549
Title
Infill Pattern and Density of 3D-Printed Insoles Alter Energy and Pressure Distribution in Gait
Corresponding Author(s)
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Featured Application: Prostheses and Orthoses application. Diabetic foot ulcer patients are usually unaware of excessive pressure on their feet due to lost pressure sensitivity. Offloading insoles are used to alleviate foot pain. This study investigated the effect of infill pattern and infill density on plantar pressure reduction for 3D-printed insoles while walking. The study involves five infill patterns: grid, honeycomb, triangle, cubic, and gyroid, along with several infill densities ranging from 14% to 20%. The test 3D-printed thermoplastic polyurethane specimens were assessed for mechanical properties to identify suitable infill patterns for creating prototypes of insoles. The results indicated that the honeycomb infill pattern exhibited the highest maximum compression load at 50% compressive strain and has a significant area under the loading-unloading curve, signifying high energy absorption. Conversely, the gyroid infill pattern exhibited the lowest maximum compression load at 50% compressive strain and minimal energy absorption. Both infill patterns with 20% infill density were applied in 3D-printed insoles and tested on the foot plantar pressure of healthy male volunteers during walking. No statistically significant differences in plantar pressure were observed between the two infill patterns compared to walking without insoles. A reduction in plantar pressure at hindfoot was observed when using the insoles, although this change was not statistically significant.