We are building a prone stander for Wichita State's Physical Therapy builds. It is used to assist children to get used to being in the standing position.

Step 1: Needs/Materials

Start with the basic idea of what is required

Step 2: Prototyping

Create cardboard prototype of the prone stander with tape and hot glue. Some of the goals for the build include strength, comfort, ease of use, and mobility. The feet will be castors for mobility and we will use a mix of wood and aluminum to strengthen it. The hinge for the adjustable table portion will include a pin to adjust the angle from 0 to 90 degrees.

Step 3: Construction of the Base

We began constructing the build by starting with the base. Using measurements from our CATIA mock up and our cardboard prototype to visualize, we cut out the pieces for the interlocking X-Frame. The 1/2" white oak plywood is double layered (1") and provides a solid foundation that will be able to easily support the weight of a child. The plywood is held together with screws from the underside and two 1/2" 10x10 plywood pieces that provide the foundation where our aluminum supports will later go. We pre-drilled all holes on the X-Frame for our wheel castors, and through the middle of the base for our support beams. Along with a good sanding and polyurethane coat and using a router for all edges on the base (to avoid sharp/rough edges), the base is smooth and secure for the second part of the construction process.

Step 4: Construction of the Prone Stander Section

We started this section with shaping our prone/standing board - cutting and rounding the edges and drilling holes for the hinge. The floor section where the child's feet will be placed is also put together with a retaining wall to prevent sliding. To create the adjustable hinge, we cut out a steel plate and grinded it to shape. After having it welded together, we used a drill press to cut out a hole in the steel plate to attach the hinge to our support beams (which we also used the drill press to cut holes through). The hinge was challenging to get into a sturdy position, so we also created custom spacers out of PVC to cover the bolt and make sure our beams were able to retain position. All of our hardware was removed for painting, which we did in black for aesthetic and to match our soon-to-come black vinyl and foam cushion. With our wheel castors attached and all major sections of the prone stander assembled, our last stage is routing any final edges, finishing wood coats, and attaching our cushioning, straps, and foot plate.