CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
20 May 2010
Events News
Delcam to Show Orthotic and Orthopaedic Software at Foothealth
Delcam will demonstrate the latest versions of the company’s software for the design and manufacture of orthotics and orthopaedic footwear at the Foothealth event to be held in Kettering on 22nd and 23rd June. The company’s iQube 3D scanner, to capture data for the design of orthotics will also be on show at the exhibition.
The 2010 versions of the OrthoModel and OrthoMill software for, respectively, the design and manufacture of custom orthotic insoles, include enhancements that will enable the design of a broader range of orthotics and more efficient manufacture of those designs. Within OrthoModel, more functions have been added to adapt for individual patients the range of standard base models supplied with the software. The extra shaping tools allow whole-model editing of the standard designs so that the desired modifications can be completed quickly and easily.
The most significant addition in OrthoMill is the ability to “batch” machining calculations. This allows the operator to input designs for a number of orthotics, either to be cut from a single block or from several pieces of material. The software can then generate all the required toolpaths in a continuous series of calculations. The process can even be carried out overnight, to give maximum productivity for the programmer.
Also on show will be the special versions for the creation of orthopaedic footwear of Delcam’s programs for mass-produced footwear. A common condition, not previously accommodated by the software, requires the last design to be curved to match the curvature of the patient’s foot. New functionality has now been added, which can modify the shape from the bottom mid-section forwards, allowing the last to be bent either inwards or outwards.
The ability has also been included to add an insole block to the bottom of the last, increasing the overall depth of the last for patients with different leg lengths. The block can also be edited to include a rocker in and around the ball area to aid the walking process. It is also possible to produce an orthotic shape, using the bottom surface of the last as the template for the orthotic.
The iQube scanner can be used for the production of custom-made orthotics for either diabetic or rheumatoid patients, or for the correction of abnormalities caused by a biomechanical miss-alignment of the musco-skeletal system. Like the company’s software, the scanner has been developed in association with Delcam’s panel of orthopaedic, podiatric and orthotics experts to ensure that it provides a suitable solution for foot-care specialists and their patients.
The key attribute of the new scanner is its versatility. It can be used to capture data directly from the patient’s foot, either in weight-on, weight-off or semi-weight-bearing modes. The scanner weighs only 14kg, making it easily portable so it can be taken to any patients whose movement is restricted.
Alternatively, the iQube can be used to scan casts or foam-box impressions. The data can then be emailed to the laboratory that will manufacture the orthotic, along with the patient’s details, so eliminating the costs and time delays associated with delivering casts or foam boxes around the country.
The iQube is fast and accurate. It is based on scanning technology developed for the aerospace industry, which allows high quality, full colour, 3D images to be produced in approximately three seconds. The data collected is accurate to within 0.4mm. This ensures that the laboratory can produce a right-first-time orthotic that will put the patient on the recovery path as quickly as possible.
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