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How-to: AFO Braces

Task-oriented guides for AFO brace design.

How do I start an AFO brace?​

  1. In the Manager, create a document of type Brace (AFO). The variant is fixed by this document type, so you cannot switch it later.
  2. Open the document. It starts in the Base step.
  3. Set Production method to Milling: Brace or 3D Printing: Brace. A printed brace runs Base, Correct, Design, Printing, Export; a milled brace runs Base, Correct, Export only.
note

Which controls appear later depends on the production method you pick here, so set it before you start correcting.

See also: base.

How do I apply a leg correction (varus or valgus)?​

A leg correction straightens an AFO in the frontal and sagittal planes. It lives in the Correct step and applies to the AFO variant only.

  1. Open the AFO document and go to the Correct step.
  2. Add Leg correction from the correction list. It exposes two angles per foot, left and right.
  3. Use Rotate Rear View to correct varus/valgus, the frontal-plane tilt seen from behind. Set the angle for the left and right leg, within plus or minus 15 degrees.
  4. Use Rotate Side View to correct the sagittal-plane rotation seen from the side, also within plus or minus 15 degrees.
  5. The model recalculates as you change each value, and every change is recorded in the History.

See also: correct.

How do I add a heel rise?​

A heel rise lifts the heel of an AFO. It sits in the Correct step and is AFO-only.

  1. Open the Correct step.
  2. Add Heel rise from the correction list.
  3. Set the rise per foot, left and right, in millimetres (0 mm or more).
  4. The AFO recalculates immediately.
tip

Combine a heel rise with a toe rise when you need a full rocker profile.

See also: correct.

How do I add a toe rise?​

A toe rise lifts the forefoot of an AFO. It sits in the Correct step and is AFO-only.

  1. Open the Correct step.
  2. Add Toe Rise from the correction list.
  3. Set the rise per foot, left and right, in millimetres (0 mm or more).
  4. The model updates as you type.
tip

Pair a toe rise with a heel rise for a rocker sole.

See also: correct.

How do I adjust the arch correction?​

The arch correction sets the medial arch support of an AFO. It sits in the Correct step and is AFO-only.

  1. Open the Correct step.
  2. Add Medial arch correction from the correction list.
  3. Set the amount per foot, left and right, in millimetres (0 mm or more).
  4. While you are in the Correct step you can also tune Heel width for extra heel volume and Brace height for the total AFO height, each per foot.
  5. The AFO recalculates live as you adjust.

See also: correct.

How do I flatten the bottom, add a shin box or toe box?​

These three reinforcements sit in the Base step and are AFO-only.

Flatten the bottom

  1. Open the Base step.
  2. Turn on Flatten bottom. Set Remove to cut material off the underside (0 to 20 mm) and Add to build it up (0 to 20 mm), giving a flat base to stand on.

Add a shin box

  1. Turn on Shin box for an anterior shin reinforcement and set its Height (0 to 10 mm).

Add a toe box

  1. Turn on Toe box to extend the forefoot. Set its Thickness (0 to 10 mm) and Extra length (0 to 10 mm).
  2. Each option reshapes the AFO as soon as you enable it.

See also: base.

How do I draw the trim line?​

The trim line sets the boundary of a printed AFO. It lives in the Design step, which is present only for a printed AFO. A milled AFO has no Design step.

  1. Set Production method to 3D Printing: Brace in the Base step, then open the Design step.
  2. Add Trim line. The AFO uses a single trim line.
  3. Draw the boundary on the model, then confirm. To reshape it, select a starting point on the line and drag to adjust, then click again to fix the position.
  4. The AFO is trimmed to the line you drew.

See also: design.

How do I add holes, a hole pattern or strengthen ribs?​

Holes, perforation patterns and reinforcement ribs are added in the Design step, which exists only for a printed AFO. A milled AFO has no Design step.

Add a hole pattern

  1. In the Design step, add Hole pattern. Set the hexagon size and spacing (0.5 to 10 mm), then use Edit to adjust the region and Mirror to copy it to the other side.

Add a drawn hole

  1. Add Cut out, draw the hole outline on the model, and use Edit or Mirror as needed.

Strengthen ribs

  1. Add Strengthen. Draw the rib, then set its Amplitude (plus or minus 100 mm) and radius (1 to 100 mm) to raise a reinforcement rib on the shell.
  2. The AFO recalculates after each edit.

See also: design.

How do I set the wall thickness?​

Wall thickness is set in the Printing step, which exists only for a printed AFO. A milled AFO has no Printing step.

  1. Set Production method to 3D Printing: Brace in the Base step, then open the Printing step.
  2. Set Thickness for the shell wall (1 to 10 mm).
  3. Set Edge thickness to thicken the rim along the trim line (0 to 10 mm).
  4. Set Flare to roll the edge outward for comfort (0 to 10 mm).
  5. The solid AFO shell is rebuilt from these values.

See also: Printing.

How do I export an AFO (mill vs print)?​

The Export step routes the finished AFO. The production method you chose in Base decides where it goes.

Milled AFO

  1. A milled AFO goes straight from Correct to Export, with no Design or Printing step.
  2. Open the Export step and choose your route. Export saves an STL file, and Produce now opens the milling production dialog to cut it in house.

Printed AFO

  1. A printed AFO passes through Design and Printing first, then reaches Export.
  2. Open the Export step. Export saves an STL file and Produce now sends it to 3D print production. Use Place in production to add it to the in-house queue instead.

Outsource either type

  1. Use Save order to package an .l3z file for a lab, or pick a partner in Outsource to and use Place order when the order system is enabled.

See also: export.