Introduction

After years of experience making custom orthoses, it became clear that CADCAM based orthosis production facility would clearly supersede traditional plaster based techniques. In 1999, I founded Virtual Orthotics to do just that. The task was to assess, design and implement not only the technology to facilitate a CADCAM production facility but to create new products and services for the podiatry profession.

There are many important aspects of our business the you should also be aware of:

- Casts are scanned to obtain the foot contours and hence these digital images can now be stored indefinitely

- Orthotics devices that were previously to difficult to manufacture by hand are now possible. Many of our existing clients are designing, evaluating and refining new orthosis designs that certainly could not be made with traditional plaster based techniques.

- Turn-around times have been significantly reduced and our graphical prescription form has reduced confusion concerning terminology.

- Output is consistently accurate and reproducible. CADCAM technology can give us the confidence that a 4.5mm Kirby Medial Skive, 2.5mm Plantar Fascial Accomodation and 2.5 degree varus heel post are all machined to within 1/20mm everyday of the year no matter who the technician is.

- Our system can alter parameters of manufacture to suit an individual client with ease

- Our manufacture system, software and hardware are all proprietary. This means we have the power to adapt and grow with our clients and not be restricted by off the shelf solutions.