Wheelchairs or electric wheelchairs are designed for the elderly or disabled. With the advancement of technology and the changing needs of user groups for wheelchairs and electric wheelchairs, the lightweight of wheelchairs and electric wheelchairs is a major trend. Aluminum alloy aviation titanium aluminum alloy material is gradually iterated. Now lighter carbon fiber materials are gradually applied to the wheelchair industry

In order to meet the various needs of people with disabilities for daily life and travel, the design and production of wheelchairs are increasingly pursuing lightweight, multi-functional, intelligent and humanized design. However, at the same time, the convenience, safety and comfort of wheelchairs must be effectively guaranteed. Light weight, high strength, corrosion resistance, and good shock absorption performance are the main considerations when selecting materials for wheelchairs.

The lighter the weight of the wheelchair, the smaller the resistance. It basically relies on the manpower of the caregiver or the wheelchair user to make it move. The lighter the wheelchair, the less the operator’s burden, especially for the wheelchair user himself, who are mainly controlled by the strength of the upper body. Wheelchair, when the wheelchair is lighter, the burden on the operator’s shoulders and wrists is not so great, which is of great significance to the patient. Even an electric wheelchair has a limited battery capacity. The lighter the wheelchair itself, the longer the battery life.

Why do the body materials of wheelchairs have to be high-strength? As mentioned above, the complexity and flexibility of the wheelchair movement mechanism require that the material of the wheelchair itself must reach a certain strength. When the strength is guaranteed, the weight of the material can be reduced under the same mechanical performance requirements, thereby realizing the lightweight of the wheelchair. .

The corrosion resistance of wheelchair materials cannot be ignored. Most of the wheelchair people have poor self-care ability, and physiological conditions such as incontinence occur from time to time. Sometimes they also face the pollution or erosion of some medicines. Most wheelchairs will be used outdoors and will be exposed to ultraviolet rays. Once exposed to rain or used alternately in high and low temperature environments, materials with poor corrosion resistance are prone to rust and surface oxidation, affecting the stability and beauty of the wheelchair frame.

In order to achieve the goals of lightweight, convenience, comfort and corrosion resistance, wheelchairs must start with materials. After years of development, the body materials available for wheelchairs have become more and more abundant, from the initial steel tube frame to various forms of materials such as aluminum alloy, titanium alloy, magnesium alloy, carbon fiber and other composite materials.

Although steel has mature technology in manufacturing process and low cost, it cannot meet people’s high requirements for lightweight. Although aluminum alloy is relatively light, it still needs to be assembled by welding or riveting, and the design requirements of ultra-light wheelchairs As light as possible while maintaining the structural integrity of the frame.

Carbon fiber composite materials have low density, high specific strength, good corrosion resistance and fatigue resistance, and can also build complex overall structures through integral molding, which is an ideal lightweight material for high-end wheelchairs.

Although the high cost of carbon fiber composites restricts its wide application in a wider range to a certain extent, its performance advantages such as light weight, high strength, and comfort can meet the needs of some high-end users.