Medical and Orthopedic Devices

Carbon fiber, machined and 3D printed components for prosthetic, orthotic and orthopedic device makers, from development prototypes to production parts.

Prosthetic feet, pylons, braces and orthoses are built from the things we work with every day: carbon fiber laminates that flex where they should, machined titanium and aluminum fittings, and tooling that makes the same part every time. We work as a build partner. You remain the manufacturer of record, and we make parts to your specifications and quality agreement.

What we make

• Carbon fiber springs and keels for prosthetic feet, laid up in prepreg and compression molded so the stiffness repeats from part to part.
• Pylons, tubes and struts in carbon fiber, roll-wrapped or filament wound to the stiffness you specify. See how carbon tubes are made.
• Uprights, shells and cuffs in carbon fiber for prefabricated orthoses and braces, and the molds to make them.
• Machined fittings: pyramid adapters, clamps, hinges and connectors in titanium, stainless steel and aluminum.
• 3D printed parts for fit checks, test sockets and covers, in nylon or resin. See 3D printing.
• Test fixtures for structural testing, such as ISO 10328 load tests on lower-limb prostheses.
• Instrument and device prototypes machined from stainless steel, titanium and PEEK.

Why carbon fiber works here

A prosthetic foot is a spring. It stores energy at heel strike and gives it back at push-off, millions of times, at a weight the user shouldn't notice. Carbon fiber suits that job: it's light, it's stiff wherever the layup puts fiber, and it holds up well in fatigue along the fiber direction. The layup and the cure decide how the foot feels and how long it lasts, so both are controlled, not left to the shop floor.

See prepreg vs wet layup vs vacuum infusion and carbon fiber grades.

Proof in Our Own Products

Ski Pole 1 is a hollow, high-modulus carbon fiber tube with bonded titanium hardware, built to take repeated impact loads in the cold. It's similar in construction to a prosthetic pylon with titanium adapters. SSD Enclosure 1 shows the other half: prepreg carbon fiber compression molded to repeatable dimensions.

Quality and documentation

• You stay the manufacturer of record. We work to your drawings, specifications and quality agreement.
• Tell us the documentation your quality system needs, such as material certificates, lot traceability and inspection records, and we confirm what we supply before quoting.
• We're a good fit for prototypes, test parts, fixtures and early production while your design and supply chain are being qualified.
• We'll sign your NDA before you share drawings. See quality.

Composite and Machining Guides

• Carbon fiber vs aluminum
• Prepreg vs wet layup vs vacuum infusion
• Carbon fiber grades: T300, T700, T800 and M40J
• Bolts and inserts in carbon fiber parts
• Carbon fiber part cost factors
• FDM vs SLA vs SLS vs MJF: which process to use

Send the drawing or the device concept, the annual volume and the documentation your quality system requires.