Then both the modified limb and the Shell cover are selected in the software, to make the hollowed shell/brace cover by using the Boolean Difference edit command in Meshmixer. The size of the 3D digital limb is enlarged in x, y, and z coordinates. From this point, the “shell” is created by making a digital copy of the arm and increasing the offset in size to whatever desired thickness is called for. Next, the model is modified to remove any defects or to add buildup in boney areas or near joints, to create comfort spots. Patient placing foot on platform preparing for 3D scan. The left arm would be scanned, because it is the straight limb, and the 3D model would be mirrored in order to create symmetry. Let’s say a patient has broken her right arm. A situation where this is effective is when a patient breaks a limb. Hagen’s practice also employs a technique called “Shell Offset,” which involves scanning a limb and mirroring it for the creation of a device. “The level of precision we’re talking about is unbeatable, and the fact that we can deliver it every time, without question, is something we just can’t ignore,” Hagen said. This practice is regularly used for designing and creating leg, foot, wrist, and hand braces. Alternatively, the final model can also be sent to Simplify for 3D printing, rather than to a router for carving. After carving, the top cover is glued on and the product is then presented to the patient for fitting.
Following either of those programs, the model is exported to Aspire software to prepare the final 3D model to format it, so that it can be sent to a router for carving. For any other body part, the file is sent to Meshmixer. If the body part being scanned is a foot, the file is sent as an STL to Fitfoot360. The scans are captured directly in Artec Studio software, where they are stitched together and processed into a 3D model.
But now, rather than using plaster, a patient’s arm, leg, or other body part is scanned using a professional handheld 3D scanner-a process that takes two to five minutes. When a patient comes in for an orthotic device, it involves the typical physical exam and verbal patient history. Warren Hagen with the Artec 3D Eva and Spider professional 3D scanners. With this technology in place, the workflow has completely changed. The company adopted Artec 3D handheld scanners. “Many of our patients are elderly, and having to sit still for a cast is not comfortable for them,” said Warren Hagen, certified orthotist and pedorthist, and owner of Hagen Orthotics & Prosthetics. This traditional process is antiquated, and the casting procedure is known to be messy and time consuming. These hand-taken measurements are used alongside two-dimensional drawings and photographs to develop the orthosis or prosthesis. The results of this process are passable yet lacking in accuracy. Once the cast was ready, tape measures and calipers would be used to obtain the object’s geometry-a time consuming process vulnerable to human error. In the past, the first step to creating a customized orthotic device for a patient required using plaster and fiberglass to make a cast of the body part being fitted. The top benefits of integrating 3D scanning with 3D printing include:
It’s quickly modernizing these practices, while improving patient experience and comfort. Digital model of patient’s foot in FitFoot360, software for converting digital scan data for orthotic applications.Īs such, the combination of 3D scanning and additive manufacturing has already begun to establish inroads throughout the healthcare industry. While these orthopedic solutions may be newer, the technology itself has a long, proven track record across many industries. The industry is often using handheld 3D scanners for this, coming up with new ways to create custom orthotics and prosthetics. The medical industry is constantly seeking out new, cutting-edge technologies to disrupt standard practices for the better.