Advancing Orthotics & Prosthetics through Digital Innovation with Freeform
Advancing Orthotics & Prosthetics through Digital Innovation with Freeform Luca Gualerzi, a Certified Prosthetist and Orthotist (CPO), leads Ortopedia Gualerzi, a family business in Italy. Embracing digital workflows, they use Oqton Freeform for designing 3D models. Nobel88, their B2B arm, manufactures and trains other O&P companies. Despite early challenges, they now produce diverse medical devices, including spinal braces and prostheses, with Freeform’s help. A custom spinal brace for scoliosis correction, designed using Freeform from a 3D patient scan and produced with a milling machine. Gualerzi mainly utilizes Freeform to create milling files, with occasional use for 3D printing. Certified Prosthetists and Orthotists (CPOs) from all over Italy send scans to Nobel88, which are then transformed into manufacturable models. Each year, they process approximately 5,000-6,000 files using Freeform. Sculpting and CAD in one software Freeform bridges the gap between sculpting and CAD software, essential for O&P 3D design. Initially, Gualerzi tried Blender, Zbrush, and Meshmixer, but they lacked CAD capabilities. He also combined Rhino with Meshmixer or ZBrush, but found Freeform to be the most comprehensive solution. A leg prosthesis was designed using Freeform and 3D-printed on an HP machine with PA12 material. The entire process took under half a workday: [...]
Understanding Mastercam Finish Passes
Understanding Mastercam Finish Passes In the fast-paced world of manufacturing, efficiency is key. Mastercam’s Dynamic toolpath functionality has long been a beacon of innovation, helping machinists reduce cycle times, extend tool life, and lessen wear and tear on their machines. With the release of Mastercam 2025, this game-changing toolpath motion has received a significant upgrade with the introduction of finish passes. This new feature promises to take your machining operations to the next level. Let’s delve into how this works and the benefits it brings. The Evolution of Dynamic Toolpaths Dynamic toolpaths in Mastercam revolutionized machining by employing a continuous, optimized cutting motion. Unlike traditional toolpaths that follow a more segmented approach, Dynamic toolpaths keep the tool engaged with the material more consistently. This approach removes material efficiently but can sometimes leave behind tool marks as the tool re-engages and exits the cut repeatedly. In scenarios like machining outside walls or complex geometries, these tool marks can be more pronounced. This is where Mastercam 2025’s enhancement comes into play. The new finish passes feature is designed to address these imperfections, offering a more refined and polished end product. Understanding Finish Passes With the integration of finish passes into Mastercam 2025, users can [...]
HP 3D Printing Solutions: 3D Printing Performance Footwear
At HP, they believe thoughtful innovation can have a real impact on business, people, and the planet. Hp's 3D printing solutions enable more sustainable manufacturing across industries like automotive, healthcare, and consumer goods. Using 3D printing for final parts and prototypes is quicker, uses less energy, and creates less waste than traditional manufacturing. Last October, at HP Imagine, HP unveiled a new partnership with Brooks Running to disrupt the performance running footwear market. The first innovation from this collaboration is the Brooks Exhilarate-BlueLine running shoes, featuring 3DNA, a 3D-printed midsole technology. This technology delivers a propulsive, bouncy ride and is tuned to groups of sizes based on runner data for optimal cushioning and spring. Brooks will release a limited number of Exhilarate-BL pairs to select Brooks Wear Testers and Brooks Run Club loyalty members. Through wearables, Brooks can access runner data to inform future iterations of shoes featuring 3DNA. Nikhil Jain, director of footwear product line management at Brooks, highlights the precision and sustainability benefits of using HP’s 3D printing technology. HP’s 3D printing is also reimagining other industries. For instance, HP has partnered with Decathlon and Lonati Group to make shoe elements more sustainably. HP is working with Smith Optics to produce personalized snow [...]
Repositioning a Crankshaft in Control X
Repositioning a Crankshaft in Control X In this blog post, we’ll explore how to reposition the nominal CAD model in Oqton’s Control X so that inspection information is reported based on the main assembly’s coordinate system rather than the local subassembly. We’ll use a crankshaft as our example. Introduction to Crankshafts Crankshafts are essential components in piston engines, converting reciprocating motion into rotational motion. Before diving into the repositioning process, it’s advisable to reposition the model before aligning the scan and adding any inspection criteria. Model of a crankshaft. Why Reposition? CAD designers often create subassemblies like this crankshaft at a convenient location. However, when it’s time to report inspection information, it’s usually preferred to have the data based on the coordinate system of the entire vehicle or assembly, not just the local subassembly. Subassembly of a crankshaft at a convenient location. The Repositioning Process Control X offers several options for relocating the reference model. Today, we’ll focus on the Transform Body tool using an Interactive alignment. This method allows us to specify the new location and orientation using two vectors and a new origin point. Original and New Positions: On the left pane, the part is shown in [...]
Print a Model Every 49 Seconds with Fast Model Resin From Formlabs
Print a Model Every 49 Seconds with Fast Model Resin From Formlabs The Form 4B 3D printer and Fast Model Resin revolutionize dental printing by enabling the production of 11 models in just nine minutes. This combination optimizes speed without compromising accuracy, enhancing workflow efficiency and maintaining high mechanical performance. Fast Model Resin stands out with its improved aesthetics, offering a more opaque and matte finish compared to Draft Resin. It’s ideal for thermoforming applications, balancing speed and accuracy to ensure appliances fit patients correctly. The resin supports continuous printing, producing over 60 arches per hour with efficient post-processing. PreForm Dental software allows users to customize layer heights and printer settings, balancing accuracy, resolution, and speed. For detailed cases, a 100 μm layer height captures critical details, while the 160 μm Fast Arch setting is optimal for aligners. Dental professionals have successfully used these settings to achieve desired speed and accuracy. Feedback from professionals highlights the resin’s utility in both dental labs and practices. It supports same-visit dentistry and efficient production of aligners, with quick post-processing times enhancing workflow efficiency. Fast Model Resin’s superior mechanical properties make it a preferred choice for thermoforming models. Want to learn more about Formlabs Materials? Contact us below: Contact Us This abridged article [...]
The Benefits of Mastercam Thread Milling
The Benefits of Mastercam Thread Milling Thread milling is a versatile and efficient method for creating threads in a variety of materials using Mastercam. Here’s a look at the key benefits of using Mastercam for thread milling: 1. Precision and Accuracy Mastercam’s advanced toolpath algorithms ensure that threads are cut with high precision and accuracy. This is crucial for applications where tight tolerances are required, such as in aerospace and medical device manufacturing. The software allows for precise control over thread dimensions, ensuring consistent quality. 2. Versatility Thread milling with Mastercam is highly versatile. It can be used to create both internal and external threads, and it supports a wide range of thread forms, including metric, UNC, UNF, and custom threads. This versatility makes it suitable for a variety of applications and industries. 3. Tool Life Extension Thread milling typically results in less wear and tear on tools compared to traditional tapping. Mastercam’s optimized toolpaths reduce cutting forces and heat generation, which can significantly extend the life of your thread mills. This leads to cost savings on tooling and less downtime for tool changes. 4. Reduced Risk of Broken Tools Unlike tapping, which can easily result in broken taps if the tool encounters an obstruction or if [...]