One Step Ahead

When Greg Armstrong and Mark McMahon ventured away from their previous management jobs at a major orthotic lab to start their own business, they had one thing in mind: satisfying their clients in a timely fashion with a quality product. Their desire to reach this goal has proven successful, as Mile High Orthotics has become known for their ability to deliver flawless orthotic devices with a mere three-day in-shop turnaround time. Because of this ability, the company became profitable within its first seven months of business.

Armstrong and McMahon opened Mile High Orthotics in November of 2007. The company currently consists of eight employees, including the owners, and is looking to add personnel to stay on top of their rapidly growing business.

"We set a goal for May using basic forecasting information from the previous months and we blew past our projection by 128 pairs of orthotics for May," Armstrong says.

The orthotic devices they manufacture are made directly for podiatrists, orthopedic surgeons and therapists, specifically for individual patients according to unique prescriptions. Such detailed descriptions require design and manufacturing exactness. If the orthotic device is even slightly off, it will affect the comfort and healing ability of the patient, and would need to be sent back to be remade.

A customer of Mile High Orthotics, Dr. Brett Purdom, notes: "I can ask them for anything and they deliver a perfect device in three days. They are providing me with a level of service that I have never seen before."

The most difficult aspect about the orthotics industry is staying ahead of the competition, according to Armstrong. Mile High Orthotics separates themselves from their competitors by fast turnaround time, quality and customer service. While many companies like to claim quality products and customer service, not many people can offer a turnaround time as fast as Mile High Orthotics, Armstrong says.

Mile High Orthotics creates devices from unique perscriptions for patients suffering from various foot and joint ailments.

Turnaround time is extremely important in this business, Armstrong explains. If a patient is in pain, the less time it takes to get a device that relieves the ache, the happier they will be. The happier the patient is, the happier the doctor is, and therefore they will continue to come to Mile High Orthotics with their perscriptions.

Fitting Their Needs

In order to deliver precise products, Mile High Orthotics depends on a software program that is up to the challenge. They chose Delcam's OrthoModel, the new software specifically for modeling and machining custom foot orthotics.

"Delcam was more of what Mark and I were looking for as a world-wide company with massive resources, and they were looking for a company to betatest their orthotics software at the same time," Armstrong says. "Delcam made starting this company very smooth. If we don't have good solid software, we can't make a quality product, and so we don't keep our customers, so we don't stay in business."

Damaged or fatigued muscles, tendons and bones of the feet and lower legs are able to function at their highest potential with a foot orthotic device. When the correct prescription is issued from a doctor and an accurate orthotic is created, the device can decrease pain in the foot as well as other parts of the patient's body. The orthotic can also increase stability in an unstable joint or keep a deformed foot from developing further problems. A key requirement for any of these functions is the correct fit.

OrthoModel Features

• Creates orthotic models based on patient data
• Allows corrections to be applied to the patient data using terminology familiar to the user
• Allows engraving to be applied
• Allows some morphing of the data
• Allows the user to define the workpiece size
• Allows manual or automatic nesting of orthotic models
• Allows the user to define machining tabs to hold the models in place while cutting
• Creates automatic toolpaths using templates
• Simulates the toolpaths to show the finished result
• Postprocesses the toolpaths ready for machining
• Saves the part used material for use in the next job

When a doctor prescribes the device, they can either create a plaster mold of the patient's foot, a foambox impression, or scan it electronically to get the exact dimensions for the orthotic. Mile High Orthotics is then able to scan the impression or import the electronic scan to produce a 3D model of the foot and then import the positive model into OrthoModel. The operator calls up a form and inputs specific data from the doctor's prescription. Once the information is entered, the operator is then able to pull up a 3D image of the resulting orthotic and inspect it to make sure it is correct. He or she can also recall the positive image of the foot and line it up to ensure a perfect fit.

"In OrthoModel, after all the information is in, we go to what's called a nesting program, where we take orthotics and put them on a block of plastic in the software, then we take that plate, send it back to our router, and then the router mills them out of a block of plastic," McMahon explains. "Once we pull them off of there, we do a little bit of grinding off of them, clean them up, sand them down, and then put on any kind of padding or top-covers that the doctors want."

The software will also keep track of how much material is left on the plate after it has been cut, so that the remaining material can be used for future orthotics. The nesting process can be completed manually or automatically by OrthoModel. Prior to cutting, the operator has the option to view a simulation of the toolpaths to show the finished result.

Supreme Service

When Delcam updates the OrthoModel system, changes can be sent via email to Mile High Orthotics, and implemented immediately.

"It's a lot more accurate than any software we've ever seen," McMahon says. "It's extremely user-friendly, and anything that we've ever asked to have modified or changed gets done usually within a day."

"If a doctor requests a certain correction or accommodation that is not in the program, we explain it to Delcam and they provide an update to the software that enables us to make it," Armstrong agrees. "Usually they'll email the new file the following day."

The higher level of quality and dramatic reduction in hand-finishing makes it possible for Mile High Orthotics to offer their customers three-day delivery.

Mile High Orthotics opened their doors in November 2007 with a Techno CNC router, a Fotoscan 3D scanner and Delcam OrthoModel software.

Mile High Orthotics considers their relationship with Delcam a business partnership, but it is also a friendship.

"They make working with them very, very easy and they're very accessible, and when we need things, they get it done," Armstrong continues. "The main thing is, we have a software company that is easy to work with that has helped our company get off the ground. They give us the highest quality products out there on the market, and the accuracy is unbelievable."

With the combination of accuracy, turn-around time and service, Mile High Orthotics has created a product that surpasses many clients' expectations, allowing the company to compete with businesses that have been around for a very long time.

"As all companies do, we want to create allegiance with our customer base," Armstrong explains. "With the abilities we now have, we are able to build more loyal customers in a very competitive orthotic world."

Mile High Orthotics
Commerce City, CO
mholabs.com

Delcam
Salt Lake City, UT
delcam.com