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Australian manufacturer has completed pre-production prototyping of a groundbreaking wheelchair that uses advanced materials such as 3D-printed titanium and carbon fibre to deliver comfort, weight savings and overall performance to wheelchair users.

The new design and manufacturing process offers elite athlete-style wheelchairs to the mass market in one-third of the time of traditionally manufactured units.

Supported by a $180,000 federal government grant administered by the (AMGC), the wheelchair is the result of a collaborative project involving Rove, wheelchair and assistive technology specialist , 鈥檚 material testing and validation experts, and bespoke road bike maker .

鈥淲e aim to bring a high level of chair quality to the masses, rather than to just elite athletes,鈥� Rove co-founder Ryan Tilley explained.

鈥淗aving the lightest set-up and ergonomics for a wheelchair from the outset is critical. Get it wrong and users will suffer from pressure sores, muscle pain and shoulder wear if the chair isn鈥檛 perfect,鈥� added Keith Klein, Rove co-founder and father of a wheelchair user.

鈥淯sers push themselves around for as many as 12 hours a day, day after day, week, month, year and decade. If you can lighten the load, it鈥檚 an incredible benefit.鈥�

Dr Jens Goennemann, Managing Director at AMGC, said, 鈥淎ustralian manufacturers like Rove are realising that 鈥榯raditional鈥� sectors and products are ripe for disruption. Enabled by incredible design and engineering talent, Rove is setting a new standard in delivering to market an exceptional product and service 鈥� which can go global.

鈥淚n this case, Rove, collaborating with Bastion, has opened up a unique way of manufacturing wheelchair frames. Bringing them together has been a powerful thing. It is exciting to see Bastion鈥檚 knowledge of lightweight 3D-printed lugs, previously applied to bikes, find a place in a new product, and one with incredible promise.鈥�

Using 3D-printed lugs, carbon fibre tubing and other aerospace materials, strength benefits and weight savings close to 4 kg per chair can be achieved聽鈥� a vast improvement over traditional-type welded tube frames of steel or aluminium alloy.

The use of these techniques means that a customer can receive their wheelchair within four weeks, compared to the typical 12-week order cycle. Importantly, the rider will experience a much higher level of customisability and satisfaction.

鈥淏y changing the angle of lugs and the length of the tube, you can create a completely custom geometry,鈥� Tilley explained.

鈥淚t is post-production customisable as well. The feedback from our users and our occupational therapists is that this is a massive boon.鈥�