According to sources, the region cannot mass-produce products, but individual adaptations are often done by hand. Today, this often involves several days of work grinding and shaping details by hand, which patients need for items such as their wheelchairs. As one of the first regions in the country, the Assistive Technology Center in Västerås is testing the possibility of producing products using a 3D printer.
Instead of working with hands, the patient's measurements are scanned, and the 3D printer later shapes the assistive device accordingly. Assistive technology technician Leif Söderberg said, "It can take us ten to twelve hours to grind a custom-made knob for a joystick. " He added, "Everything we cannot buy, we have to build.
" The hope is that it will start producing for the operation during the year, which will mean that patients' waiting times are significantly shortened. It is not yet known what specific types of assistive devices are being produced with the 3D printer beyond the joystick knob example, or how many patients are expected to benefit from this initiative. The current average waiting time for custom assistive devices and the projected decrease with the 3D printer have not been disclosed.