Case Study: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) achieves overnight design validation and rapid, durable medical-device prototyping with Stratasys 3D printing

FDM Improves Bioengineering Research at KAIST Biorobotics Lab

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology’s Biorobotics Lab, led by Professor Jung Kim, developed a wearable auxiliary device to measure EMG signals and stabilize hand tremors in patients with Essential Tremor. Producing a precise, mechanically strong and flexible device with many small parts was challenging and slow when prototypes were outsourced—taking up to four weeks and yielding inconsistent quality—so KAIST invested in Stratasys 3D printers (using CatalystEX workflow and ABSplus materials) to close the CAD-to-prototype gap.

Using Stratasys 3D printers and engineering-grade ABSplus thermoplastic, the team printed skeletons, gears, hinges and diagnostic tips, assembling full mock-ups for functional and clinical tests. The Stratasys solution shortened validation cycles from weeks to overnight for design iteration, accelerated the project schedule, enabled multiple components to be printed and tested in one run, and produced prototypes that supported successful clinical experiments and broader student and research use.

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology

Jung Kim

Professor