Análise estrutural de um sistema de suporte parcial de peso corporal para crianças com paralisia cerebral

Abstract

Studies show that children with cerebral palsy (CP) who had trained walking with partial body weight support had an improvement in their motor tests. In Brazil, partial body weight supports (PBWS) aimed at children are scarce on the market and because of that, they are most often imported and have high costs. The objective of the work in question is to design a partial weight support aimed at stimulating gait and improving motor functions in children with cerebral palsy at a more affordable cost when compared to those sold, and carry out the structural analysis of the PBWS, made of carbon steel ASTM-A36, through analytical studies and the Finite Element Method. When comparing the maximum equivalent von Mises stresses obtained in the two modalities of study, analytical and finite element at four different points, with the yield limit of carbon steel ASTM-A36, it is possible to verify that the projected partial weight support is away from the material yield strength and have safety factors above 1.7. The cost of the project in question is estimated at around R$ 1570.00, being considered an affordable value. Finally, it can be said that the projected partial support of body weight can be considered an initial project that aims to structurally fulfill the requirements to be considered in the future as a safe and accessible support.