An e-Nable qualified maker at the CSTJF

• Laurent Germain, FabLab manager at TotalEnergies, was qualified as an e-Nable France maker in 2021. He is part of the national network of 520 makers.
• Using 3D printing, these volunteers make customized prostheses for children who are missing fingers or wrists, owing to an accident or a malformation.
• e-Nable prostheses are free of charge and customized using the colors of the child’s favorite Super Hero.

3D printing is a passion for Laurent Germain, an electronics and information technology engineer, with a degree (DEA) in robotics. He currently works as manager of the FabLab at the CSTJF in Pau. "Additive manufacturing is a mature technology, and can be used to manufacture industrial parts. That’s what we do on a daily basis here in Pau for different entities in TotalEnergies throughout the world, with the responsible use of digital technologies always in mind. That means not storing or throwing parts away and preferably repairing and improving equipment. We can also produce daily objects fast and at a competitive cost," explains the man who became an e-Nable France Maker. "During the Covid-19 pandemic, I wanted to do something useful. All makers in France have come together to produce protective visors for health professionals. I embarked on the adventure with TotalEnergies Corbion to provide free 2.5 tons of PLA resin (raw material used to manufacture the filament used by 3D printers) and the TotalEnergies Foundation to help financially the community of local manufacturers «Maker Bearn» but also the national association Visor Solidaire".  

Given the success of this gathering of makers, this experience makes him want to continue his commitment and join the e-nable France association. Created in 2015, the association has already designed, manufactured and offered 263 3D-printed prostheses (hands, fingers, wrists) free of charge, to a target population comprising 95% children and teenagers. Every year in France, around 400 children are born with an agenesis. "We start fitting children with prostheses at 4-5 years old," Laurent Germain explains, "but the devices need to be renewed every 12 to 18 months to adapt to the child’s growth curve". That’s where 3D printing comes in: all it takes is for the source file to be adjusted, start the 3D print job, position the rubber tension bands and test the prosthesis out with the user. For a total cost of? A few dozen euros.

When super heroes take center stage

e-Nable France was created in 2015 and "promotes strong values and works to bring out the super hero inside each one of us." These values include altruism and knowledge sharing. The maker pledges to donate his/her know-how, materials required to manufacture prostheses, and his/her "machine" time. Other core values are kindness and ‘happy technology’. Thanks to the prosthesis created by the maker, children move from being "disabled and assisted" to "stronger and super cool." "We’ve noticed that children more readily accept a robotic arm if it is the same color as their super heroes - from Frozen to Iron Man, anything is possible - than an expensive skin-imitation prosthesis," Laurent Germain adds. "In the playground, they are more comfortable with their disability and are admired by their peers." The success of the super hero prostheses encourages Makers to take things further and develop rod systems so that children can ride bikes or scooters, play a musical instrument, etc. A second e-Nable maker has been qualified at TotalEnergies Angola, and Laurent Germain supported him in the process. Thibaut Leclere, a mechanical maintenance engineer, will meet local needs using the affiliate’s 3D printers. Requests must be made directly on the e-nable.fr website, to ensure that the recipient/maker pair are in the same area and can meet up easily. Laurent Germain works in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department and the prostheses are printed at the CSTJF in Pau.

• Find out more about e-Nable France