3D printed thumbs eases workers’ task at BMW

In a move intended to help its workers, BMW has introduced an innovative use of 3D-printed thumbs at a plant, where workers spend a lot of time fitting rubber plugs to the vehicles, which involves pressing the plugs onto the vehicle using their thumb.

Car production, though mostly automated with robots doing much of the heavy work, does however, involve some tasks that involve manual labour.

BMW is giving its workers 3D printed thumbs, to ensure that workers don't damage their own thumbs.

The innovative orthotic devices are used as part of a pilot project in an assembly area where rubber plugs are fitted.

These are pressed in with the thumb and closed. The plugs serve to close drain holes for the paint coat in addition to serving other purposes. Even for people with strong hand muscles, the movement requires a certain effort, and to prevent the unnecessary overstretching of the thumb joint, the finger cots made of thermoplastic polyurethane are put over the thumb like a second skin.

Designed by the Technical University of Munich's Department of Ergonomics, the thumb guards have been created specially to fit the thumb of each worker, acting as a split to reinforce the joint when workers push in rubber holding plugs, The Independent reported.

Workers' hands were scanned from every angle to create 3D models which were then used for creating a plastic protector that was 3D printed layer by layer, it said.

The thumb-guard is constructed out of a special semi-flexible plastic made from a mixture of hard and soft silicone. This lets the joint move freely most of the time but become rigid when straightened – allowing workers to press down with less strain.

The 3D-printed thumbs allow workers to push in rubber plugs with reduced strain.

According to BMW, following the small, successful trials of the thumb, the company was looking to introduce other schemes using 3D-printed equipment to prevent strain and injury.

The combination of cheap 3D-scanning and 3D-printing had proved to be especially successful in adapting previously generic parts and equipment to individuals' bodies.

Cheap 3D-printed prosthetics had been used in Sudan to help war amputees, and both 3D-printed pelvises and even skulls had been used in surgery.