Implementation of the Calibry 3D scanner in the technological process of the orthopedic clinic

Briefly: A German clinic has asked Phoenix GmbH & Co. to find a solution for automating the production of orthoses in order to minimize the workload of staff. Most of the clinic's patients are children who have to visit doctors frequently as they grow up.
Objective: To develop a standardized and reproducible process that could be used by any orthopedic surgeon without special training in 3D scanning and reverse engineering.
Tools: Calibry 3D scanner, Calibry Nest software, Geomagic Wrap software (with algorithms developed by Phoenix), Tractus 3D printer.
The result: automation of the process has reduced the burden on orthopaedists by 40% in the manufacture of orthoses. In addition, treatment has become more comfortable for patients.

Phoenix GmbH & Co. KG is an engineering company that specializes in the development of products using 3D printing and 3D scanning in the field of sports and orthopedics.

Last year, their client, an orthopedic clinic in Germany, asked Phoenix to develop a technology chain to reduce the burden on doctors, as the standard method of creating orthoses for children was ineffective.

Most of the patients at this clinic are children who need to visit a doctor frequently to have new orthoses made as their feet grow. The frequency of visits may vary depending on each patient, but each time the orthosis is performed will be the same.:

1. Carrying out measurements for modeling the insole.

2. Modeling the insole.

3. Check how well the insole fits.

4. Making adjustments.

6. Casting the mold.

7. Mold casting.

8. Making adjustments to the form.

8. Making adjustments to the form.

The standard orthosis manufacturing method is ineffective because it is time-consuming (two specialists are required at stages 3 to 6). In addition, if something goes wrong in the manufacture of orthoses at these stages, the whole process must be repeated anew. There are also some legal issues with plaster molds. They need to be stored properly, and that takes up a lot of space. Finally, plaster is inconvenient for many patients.

The technological chain of production of new orthoses has been significantly reduced:

1. Measuring the foot.

2. Scan the existing plaster mold.

3. Based on the measurements, a prototype of a new shape is automatically made.

4. The new shape is printed on a 3D printer.

5. Vacuum thermoforming of the orthosis.

Let's take a closer look at how the new technology chain was implemented.

At this stage, it is important to position the scanner correctly: the angle between Calibry and the turntable is 45 *; the tripod height is 60 cm; and the distance between the lens and the center of the turntable should be 62 cm.

It is important that a standardized installation guarantees optimal results and does not require any engineering knowledge from the operator.

The plaster mold was scanned from both sides, with each scan containing about 500 frames.

Someone may ask if it is possible to scan a patient’s foot immediately (for example, there is a new patient and they have not yet made a plaster mold for him), and then process the 3D model in software?

At the moment, in the production of orthoses, the creation of the initial shape is done in the traditional way. The shape scan differs from the foot scan, as the 3D scan contains many anatomical details of the leg that needs to be treated, whereas the plaster mold has a simplified and already anatomically correct geometry. Phoenix is currently developing algorithms that also automate the creation of the initial form. Thus, in the future, the production of orthoses will become completely contactless.

Two scans of the mold were registered, cut out of the plane and combined. As a result of the processing, a detailed image of the plaster mold was obtained. The STL model was ready for further work in Geomagic Wrap.

Two scans of the mold were registered, cut out of the plane and combined. As a result of the processing, a detailed image of the plaster mold was obtained. The STL model was ready for further work in Geomagic Wrap.

The "sealed" STL models were migrated to the Geomagic Wrap plugin, where they were automatically "grown" according to more than 12 parameters. The new shape was then printed on a 3D printer. The final product, a new orthosis, was obtained by vacuum thermoforming.