The Orliman company contacted INTECH3D with the aim of improving and streamlining the manufacturing process of its orthopedic products. The use of 3D printing technology has been decisive in gaining crucial time and, above all, in achieving maximum adaptability of the prosthesis. Thanks to additive manufacturing, the company has managed to reduce production costs and improve the ergonomics of the product, which has allowed them to be more competitive with respect to their competition.

About Orliman

Orliman is a company that has more than 70 years of experience in the sector of manufacturing non-invasive orthopedic products, instrumentalizing the future of mobility, health prevention and functional improvement. Its international projection is a fact that has allowed the company to enjoy progressive growth and worldwide recognition.

Its commitment to the application of innovative technologies that add value to its products, such as 3D printing in the medical sector, led its current managers to contact us. Its high level of demand and the process of including extremely resistant materials posed us a challenge that we wanted to overcome successfully.

The challenge: manufacture high-quality prototypes

For Orliman, as for the vast majority of companies, the prototyping process is very important, because thanks to the precision achieved with the prototypes, manufacturing or adaptability failures in the final products are avoided.

To achieve this objective, they needed a technology that offered a result, in the prototype, as realistic as possible to what would be the final product, given that the cost of the manufacturing material is high. When they were told about the effectiveness of 3D printing to create prototypes, they agreed to carry out some tests to verify its feasibility. The prototyping process guarantees the correct manufacture of a standardized final product ready for sale. Also, it helps us analyze the shortcomings of the product and possible improvements. Thus, additive manufacturing is an ideal technology for making final prototypes, as it gives us the possibility of analyzing the feasibility of objects on a real scale and with their dimensional value. So much so that the Orliman orthopedic company has allowed them to shorten production time, reduce the costs of this type of test, and speed up the modification and adjustment processes of each article.

The solution: 3D printing to optimize prototypes

Orliman's commitment to additive manufacturing has meant a change in the pre-production of its products, thanks to the fact that they have improved their prototyping process and one of the great results derived from this implementation is the reduction of costs, together with the speed and ease of use that 3D printing offers us. Thus, thanks to the work of INTECH3D together with Orliman, its technical team has also been trained and has acquired skills to work comfortably with 3D printing materials and technologies.

1 3D printer: 4 business benefits

With the application of 3D printing to create dimensional and visual prototypes, it has allowed the Orliman design team to study the adaptability in different articles and with different materials. Thus, additive manufacturing has benefited them in:

• Gaining autonomy in changes and modifications.
• Increasing their decision-making capacity with regard to the final design of each item.
• Reducing response time to the end customer.
• Not having to to depend on an external company, or workers from different departments, to make the corresponding decisions.

Project results: reduction of manufacturing time and time to market

One of the highlights of incorporating 3D printing into your prototyping is the reduction in manufacturing time for each product, up to several days, and time to market. Along the same lines, with the use of additive manufacturing, Orliman's work philosophy is fully respected, since it counts at all times with the concepts that support both parties: efficiency, excellence, innovation and commitment.

The continuous study and analysis of the optimal materials for the creation of prostheses has caused this range of products to become a benchmark in quality for its customers. Well, thanks to their unique products, which guarantee a good adaptation and ergonomics of movement, they add value to people to carry out any activity that they previously saw as limited.

The 3D printer works autonomously and does not need supervision, so the actual work time is increased considerably

Since we started working together with the orthopedic products company, they have taken advantage of the advantages offered by 3D printing and are applying it to the manufacture of different products, for the development of new creations of the Department of Innovation. The involvement of both parties in each process has been of great help to Orliman, who continues to amaze us with his ability to create new products and make life easier for people.

Thus, the company's facilities serve as the base of operations for us to check the adaptability of each 3D printed prototype and to ensure that each print has the quality required to be tested. This constant work, as a team and where people are the center of operations, is the common denominator of our collaboration agreement with Orliman, so it has been a pleasure working with them.

The INTECH3D 3D Consulting process

INTECH3D we are business advisers and consultants, in the field of the integration of additive production technologies in the value chains of companies. We take responsibility for the correct integration of the teams in the value chain of each company or business:

• Advice during the choice of the right technology
• Marketing of equipment, consumables and spare parts
• Training for the use of the necessary Hardware and Software
• Integrated equipment maintenance
• Official technical service for all products marketed

The INTECH3D technical team has more than 6 years of experience in various 3D printing technologies. We have different technologies and manufacturing materials with 3D printing, to cover the different technological or business needs of each sector:

• Conceptual prototypes
• Functional prototypes
• Final components
• Workshop tools
• Spare parts
• Short and medium production series.

It is also very important that all the departments of the same company know all the possibilities and benefits that 3D printing can bring to their sector:

• Risk reduction in manufacturing
• Reduced manufacturing costs
• Reduced manufacturing time
• Validation with a prototype before making an investment in final manufacturing
• Manufacture "on demand", without discarding material.
• Reduction of the "Time to Market" of the final product
• Manufacture of "Bridge" series to know its fit in the market
• Possibility of making short production series
• Elimination of time in the provision of Stock

If you want to apply 3D printing technology in your company or business, do not hesitate to contact us. We are at the service of companies for the immediate resolution of any doubt or query related to the use of the equipment.