Pedorthic Manufacturing Lab Flashcards
Oven
Essential
Heat thermoplastics, rubbers, foams to working temperature for thermal molding.
Thermal molding
Essential
One of first steps in manufacturing: create shell or base of orthotic.
Vacuum press
Essential
Used in conjunction with oven; press thermoplastic and other heat moldable materials to a cast/mold of patient’s foot
Band saw
Essential
Long continuous blade of metal stretched between two tensioned wheels; cut larger/thicker/heavier materials. Often used to split sole of shoe for modification.
Grinder (general)
Essential
Grind plane and modify all types of material in all stages of manufacturing.
Belt style grinder
Long sanding belt tensioned between two wheels for continuous joint grinding surface
Accessories permit use from rough shaping process through to buffing and finishing
MULTIPLE sanding belts and accessory wheels attached to main spindle
Self contained dust collection system
Barrel grinder
Single unit, single barrel on a spindle
May or may not have self-contained dust collection system (external setup if absent)
Wire brush
Grinder accessory: coarsely abrade or remove material from hard surfaces
Scotch Brite buffing wheel
Grinder accessory: buff and smooth rough surfaces during finishing process
Polishing/Finishing wheels
Grinder accessory: Cotton/horsehair polishing wheels
Nylon/wool/felt finishing wheels
Used in shoe modification and cleaning/finishing a shoe
Fume hood
Essential (or Downdraft table)
Gluing station: area in which solvent-based glues used safely; pulls fumes up and out through external exhaust system
Downdraft table
Essential (or fume hood)
Gluing station: area in which solvent-based glues used safely; uses downward suction to pull fumes down and out through external exhaust system
Advantage of downdraft table vs fume hood
Vapours from solvent based glues often heavier than air; more effectively pulled down (downdraft) than up (fume hood)
Dremel
Essential
Rotary tool: grinding, buffing, sanding, shaping in finer detail; excavations, bevelling holes, other small changes to orthosis
Basic hand tools: scissors, utility blades, shears
Essential
Cut away excess material, split or cut shoes, fitting process of orthotic into footwear
Basic hand tools: Calipers
Essential
Precisely measure, compare, or replicate thickness of materials or additions
Basic hand tools: Heat gun
Essential
Used in both manufacturing and deconstruction of orthoses/footwear; commonly in finishing stage for materials where oven is too much heat; adhere cushioning laters, top covers, additions; splitting shoe sole, altering orthotic for adjustment
Table saw
cutting larger stock of material into smaller pieces; large sheets from distributor cannot be safely cut with band saw alone
Material blanks
Smaller or more manageable pieces of an originally large sheet of material from distributor
Thickness planer
Abrading large surfaces/thermoplastics, thinning larger stock material; also found in woodworking
CAD/CAM mill
produce milled orthoses in clinics using computer-aided design/manufacturing system
Milled vs vacuum-formed
Milled = no physical mold; virtual mold after scan, correct, store image of cast; can be more rigid or thinner Vacuum-formed = physical mold; widest variety of orthotic modification
Shoe press
Non-essential: firmly press sole of shoe to upper; used when applying a lift or another outsole modification to a shoe; manual or hydraulic
Belt sander
Plane an orthoses evenly along large surface; obtain flat, even surface along base of orthosis
Shoe stretcher
In clinic and in lab; increase width, depth, seam flexibility; spot stretch upper of shoe for deformity
Thermoplastics
Core material category
High density polyethylene (HPDE), polypropylene
Fabrication of orthotic shell
Urethanes
And foams: Core material category
Plastazote, p-cell, poron, aliplast, neolon
Top covers or cushioning layers
Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA)
Wide variety of purposes
Orthotic shells, posting, heel/shoe lifts, additions, modifications, metatarsal bars
Cork
Core material category
Natural/synthetic for posting
Accommodative orthotic shell, other
Carbon fibre composites
Core material category
Firmest orthotic shells, foot/toe plates
Specialty materials
Core material category
Silicone, fabrics, leather, etc
Top cover, interface between orthotic and foot
Silicone: cushioning, accommodative purposes
Pre-fabricated components
Core material category
Metatarsal pads, scaphoid pads, neuroma pads, heel lifts/wedges
Durometer
Key material property
Surface resistivity or material hardness
Durometer 15 or 20
Low = cushioning
Durometer 60 or 70
High = footwear modifications, shoe lifts
Thickness
Key material property
Most often measured in mm or inches
Sometimes described in irons
48 iron
25.4mm = 1 inch
Heating/working time
Key material property
Manufacturer’s guideline on how long to heat a material in order for it to be workable
Colour, size, quantity
material properties
WHMIS
Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System
Canada’s national hazard communication standard; ensure workers receive health and safety information about hazardous products they may be exposed to in their workplace
Employee’s WHIMIS duty
responsible for taking training and necessary measures to protect themselves and co-workers, identify and control hazardous materials
Employer’s WHIMIS duty
Ensure hazardous materials are properly labeled, to have safety data sheets available, to offer education/training about products in the workplace
