Nov 14, 2025 At our event on 3D printing for orthotics and prosthetics (O&P), we had the opportunity to hear from four leading clinical experts and engineers who are creating the future of this field. We discussed innovations in prosthetic legs, UCBLs, ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs), and many other incredible devices for pediatric and adult patients. We also took an inside look at state-of-the-art 3D printers, as well as everything you need to know about using dyes to color 3D printed parts. So, where is 3D printing for O&P headed next? Here’s the recap of our event, which you can now watch on 3DHEALS courses.
What’s the secret to success in 3D printing? Look no further than Michael Schmitt from Prosthetic Plus.
3D printing shines in repeatability. With the increasing digitization of O&P, it’s easier than ever to make adjustments to past prints through software and create a new device for the patient at incredible speeds.
Michael Schmitt, Lead Digital Designer and a Certified Prosthetist-Orthotist at Prosthetic Plus, shared how vital repeatability has been in his 3D printing workflow. One use case he showed us was a dual material TPU and PA12 Rigid prosthetic leg they 3D printed for a pediatric patient. The patient absolutely loved using the device, and by the time they needed a new one, they could make the device bigger and have it printed again, making it a breeze for the patient’s physician and getting the child back to playing again.
There’s no doubt that repeatability is essential: when centralized fabrication experts, such as Schmitt, work with their partners, getting prints right again and again is key to building trust in the 3D printing process. With any new technology, making the process as pain-free and reliable as possible for physicians and patients is central to what has made Schmitt successful in this field.
Yet, while 3D printing shines in repeatability, it’s the people who put their faith in this technology that bring adaptability to the table. Schmitt described working late and pouring tons of effort into manually pulling check sockets by hand before he got into 3D printing. But his turn to 100% digitization and 3D printing completely changed his career – and the lives of his patients’, too.
Now, it’s astounding to see the number of different 3D-printed cases Schmitt has done, from a variety of foot orthotics printed in TPU to life-changing printed fingers and hands. 3D printers – and even AI – doesn’t know how to turn a completely new problem with vastly different sets of constraints into a viable solution, but Schmitt does. And it’s this clockwork adaptability of 3D printing innovators to make 180 degree pivots in order to meet the needs of patients that brings the human touch into an era of increasing automation and technology integration.
Integrating 3D printing into more educational programs, increasing its accessibility to clients outside of engineering, and building strong partnerships between physicians and 3D printing experts will be essential for cultivating the adaptability factor that the technology on its own doesn’t provide. And, while 3D printing has made Schmitt’s (and his client’s) lives much easier, you’ll still find him pouring his efforts into experimenting with new, creative prosthetic designs, just like his early years in O&P. It’s this drive that’s moving the field forward.
How is 3D printing impacting orthotics and prosthetics in the clinic? Here’s an example from Tara Wright, Gillette Children’s Hospital
The case studies from our clinicians are always truly astounding. Tara Wright, a Certified and Licensed Prosthetist-Orthotist at Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare, described a patient with cerebral palsy who needed a new UCBL orthosis. This plastic insert provides support for the heel and arch of the foot.
Using the traditional workflow of manually creating the orthosis by shaping heated plastic sheets, a new UCBL was made, but the patient described how it just didn’t feel the same as their old one. To solve the problem, Wright outlined how they designed a new hybrid workflow: using plaster to model the old UCBL, performing digital scanning to capture the model, and 3D printing the new device.
And when the patient tried them on, it was a perfect fit. Wright said it was the “easiest fit of my life as a clinician.”
While we’ve discussed the benefits of point-of-care 3D printing in the past, it’s essential to consider the trade-offs between streamlining and flexibility. Making the entire 3D printing process as optimized as possible for clinicians is critical for adoption, but that also means certain aspects of the process become set in stone, making it challenging to adjust steps on the fly.
After all, it’s hard to make 3D printing do what you want “with a single push of a button” when clinicians are still figuring out how to incorporate 3D printing into the myriad of unique patient needs and constraints. For Wright, creating a hybrid plaster molding and 3D printing workflow was necessary, not just the ideal digital-only O&P that we often dream of.
Wright pointed out that working with third-party service bureaus to handle printing has been beneficial, as such companies typically have a wide range of printers that the hospital can experiment with, providing the hospital with flexibility to change its workflow without much hassle. This way, the hospital doesn’t have to make the risky investment of purchasing an in-house printer that may not work as expected.
And so the solution to this efficiency-flexibility tradeoff really does lie in communication and education. It’s easy to silo people into those who are 3D printing experts and those who aren’t, but if hospitals must rely on third parties to streamline the process, there needs to be individuals on all sides who can bridge the gap and speak each other’s language.
Wright has nailed it down – understanding the critical needs of patients as a clinician and knowing how to effectively communicate that knowledge into 3D prints that precisely meet the needs of the end user. How to easily teach (and not just expect upfront) more people to communicate with a certain level of shared understanding will be one of the most significant prerequisites for advancing 3D printing in O&P.
What 3D printers are used for O&P? What post-processing steps are needed? HP and DyeMansion have the answers.
The advances in 3D printing hardware are genuinely incredible. David Johnson, Lead Healthcare Application Engineer at HP (Multi-Jet Fusion), and Emilie Simpson, Senior Application Engineer at DyeMansion, talked about how the two companies are powering the future of 3D printing for O&P with state-of-the-art printers and post-processing tools.
Creating a controlled environment for O&P printing is essential, and it’ll be interesting to be on the look out for when AI doesn’t just monitor the print environment for errors but also controls the printer itself to make corrections. While AI + 3D printers are still in the works, HP is leading the charge with thermal sensing printers that adjust on the fly. Check out the awesome demo video of HP’s multi-jet fusion printer below.
However, it’s more than just the printing. For O&P, Simpson noted that color is crucial for patient acceptance of the device, as many patients feel more comfortable wearing a device that matches their preferences. Simpson described how DyeMasion has been innovating in the post-processing steps of 3D printing, which include adding color that lasts and is safe for patients.
What we’re thinking
We witnessed some incredible 3D printing technology and clinical cases at this O&P event – the positive impact this technology is having on patients is truly inspiring. As our speakers have shown, it’ll be important for everyone in the field to consider adaptability and effective communication when designing the 3D printing workflows of the future. Join us to continue the conversation by signing up for our newsletter and attending our live webinars.
Mini-Glossary
- O&P = orthotics (support the body) and prosthetics (replace missing limbs)
- TPU = thermoplastic polyurethane, a material known for its flexibility
- PA12 = polyamide 12, a type of nylon
- UCBL = a type of foot orthotic named after the University of California Biomechanics Laboratory
About the Author:
Peter Hsu
Peter Hsu is an editorial intern for 3DHEALS. He is currently an undergraduate at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and studies bioengineering with a focus on cell and tissue engineering. He is also minoring in computer science with interests in artificial intelligence and image processing. Peter conducts research on using computer vision methods to analyze human tissue images and improving the robustness of machine learning workflows. He is interested in the use of AI to assist tissue engineering and bioprinting research for medical applications. He is passionate about science communication and leads STEM outreach lessons at schools in the central Illinois area.
Relevant links:
Event Recap: 3D-Printed Devices In Orthopedics
Event Recap: Microfluidic Devices and 3D Printing
Expert Corner: AI in Healthcare 3D Printing: The Future is Now
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