Update July 22, 2022 (updates from Eric):

July 21, 2022:

A big day for Cindy! She is a very happy young lady, I think maybe her mom was even happier. These are the days that make it all worth while. Tears all around and a blessing from her pastor.

 

We'll see her again as she will most likely outgrow this one in a year or less and we will happily make her another!    This was number 35, according to Monica.

 

 

 

Update July 15, 2022 (updates from Eric):

The parts for Cindy's new hand! Should be getting built on Monday by Monica. This is from a translucent material that looks much prettier in person.

 

 

 

 

From Tigre Lopez who recently got one of our arms...

 

My favorite occasions are delivery days.  Today was Jorge's day! He got our first CF PETG (carbon fiber reinforced plastic) arm. I hope this gets him back on the job soon as a welder and improves the future.

This is what we are about! By the grace of God helping those who need what we have.

 

From July 14, 2022:

Tigre with a fine looking arm!

 

 

Update July 13, 2022 (latest updates from Eric):  

 

Our  first carbon nanofiber reinforced PETG arm and it's for Jorge! A little more effort to use this material with thermoforming and a bit more costly but for the right expected use it may get used some more by us.

Just waiting on the coating to dry on the grip panel so it can be attached and then we will be ready to deliver!

 

 

 

 

July 10, 2022:

It really works out for the best that the printers are onboard and in the hallway next to where we sleep. 

 

Maintenance and troubleshooting are a big part of 3d printing:

 

We both listen for the tell-tale 'Tic, Tic, Tic' that signals a clogged extruder or a tangled wrap in the filament roll. This excludes the lesser 'tic, tic, tic' that is simply the sound made of small areas being worked on. Still enough to rouse us from sleep, although when the printers are running through the night we both are very lite sleepers, and we often get up to check the printing and machines.

 

Sometimes the print doesn't adhere in the first stages, no matter how well you clean the print plate. So the first hour or so there is extra diligence to make sure we don't lose the print. And sometimes we do.  The machines can be picky (the Raise 3d especially) and every print has its own special heat levels, extruder rates. Etc. 

 

So for every successful prosthetic, there is often a measure of fine-tuning, some hair-pulling and frustration when we lose a print. Our whole hearts are in this work and we want to bless people and give them hope. So even though he is often frustrated because he wants to do a really good job, God strengthens Eric to be good at what he does... God bless him!!

 

Thank you so much to everyone who supports this work through prayers, personal involvement, funds and much appreciated encouragement!

 

 

 

 

 

July 7, 2022:

 

The parts pile is getting bigger! Several days running round the clock. The beige group still has about seven more sheets to print before assembly. That's the above elbow arm. The blue parts are awaiting the last part on the printer and then some bending jigs in less expensive material. That's for a below elbow arm. Busy printers is a good thing!

 

 

 

 Update July 7, 2022 (update from Eric): 

A new arm for Ariel!

 

 

 

 

 Yesterday's IMS Facebook post from Eric...

 We just started the printing of our first upper arm loss prosthetic. There's a lot more printing and a whole lot more work in assembling, but if this works well, we have a line of people waiting for this. Will be printing most of the week, in the rainy season, with thunder already in the area. Hoping the inverter behaves in any power outages as it has been having "issues".   But that's one of the reasons we print on board,  is the ability to power the printers in an area with frequent outages. 

 

Thanks to Nate Monro and the NIOP design crew let's hope we can make this do well!   This link will show you what we are trying to achieve:    https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4884632

 

 

 Update July 5, 2022 (updates from Eric):

Arm building!

 

 A new arm waiting for Ariel!