The Role of 3D Technologies in Improving Design and Technological Processes of Orthopedic Footwear Production - 25.44
Title:
The Role of 3D Technologies in Improving Design and Technological Processes of Orthopedic Footwear Production
Authors:
Liliia CHERTENKO, Tymofii LYPSKYI, Olexander UDOVENKO, Dariia KAPTIUROVA
Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design, Kyiv, Ukraine
Keywords:
3d scanner, 3d printer, shoe last, orthopedic footwear
Abstract:
Digital technologies today play an important role in all areas of design and production of industrial goods. However, in the footwear industry, the implementation of 3D technologies still causes numerous difficulties associated with the multi-component structure of the design object and the complexity of the production technology.
However, it is the complexity of the shoe shape that is the reason for the widespread use of digital technologies, as this will help reduce the complexity of the industry's design processes and bring them under a scientifically grounded approach. In addition, digitalization of production is a way to reduce dependence on complex manual operations, which is necessity in conditions of a shortage of professionals with required qualifications. The active implementation of 3D technologies in the
production of orthopedic footwear is especially important.
Orthopedic footwear is one of the most important products related to additional rehabilitation aids, and is manufactured individually for each patient, taking into account his medical diagnosis, anthropometric parameters, recommendations of a rehabilitation doctor and personal requirements of the consumer. Today, inclusive products must meet high standards, as they play an extremely important role in improving the standard of living and normal activity of people with disabilities.
The process of manufacturing orthopedic shoes is one of the areas of shoe production, the target object of which is a medical device for the patient's rehabilitation. Although the process of manufacturing such shoes is close to the typical technological process of shoe production, orthopedic shoes are distinguished by the special shape of the personalized shoe last, as well as the presence of special orthoses, orthopedic insoles and other elements that perform a corrective, therapeutic or fixing function. It is the development of the shoe last and orthopedic inserts that represents the greatest complexity and should be digitalized in order to improve the properties of the final product.
The development and production of personalized orthopedic lasts in digital design and technology laboratories equipped with a 3D scanner, 3D printer and special software for 3D modeling can help solve the problem of producing the right orthopedic footwear on an individual order even in the absence of highly qualified specialists in the development of orthopedic shoe last at local production. The process of developing and manufacturing the elements of the form of orthopedic footwear involves such main stages as 3D scanning, 3D modeling and 3D printing.
The 3D foot scanning method allows us to obtain and collect initial information about patients' feet without the need to use huge areas for storing plaster models. Also, the digital information obtained is of great value for analyzing the processes of progress or regression in the clinical condition of consumers' feet.
European orthopedic footwear production is very actively involving 3D printing technologies for manufacturing shoe last, orthopedic inserts, orthoses, test shoes, as this is an environmentally friendly way to manufacture elements of any complexity and purpose, which is a logical continuation of the sequence of 3D scanning and 3D product development processes.
3D modeling is the main design process, the result of which is a digital orthopedic shoe last and elements of the required shape, ready for 3D printing. To design a footwear last shape, a reverse engineering method is used, when a new product is modeled by modifying the basic shape. And this is where we encounter a large number of difficulties in the case of orthopedic footwear:
- The choice of software that provides the selected method and high design accuracy, has a wide functionality for implementing multi-stage modification of the shape of the shoe last and other elements of footwear,
- The need to develop and manufacture the shoe last and other elements of a rational form for medical purposes, taking into account the medical diagnosis, the results of 3D scanning and baropodometric research, as well as technological requirements for production,
- The complexity of the aimed form elements, the need to use complex mathematical apparatus to describe the shape of the shoe last for further manipulations and the transition from 3D form to 2D patterns with sufficient accuracy of the results.
Work on the study of various design algorithms and methods for modeling the complex spatial shape of a shoe last has been carried out by many scientists for the past twenty years. And despite this, the development of a personalized orthopedic shape of shoe last based on the shape and dimensions of the customer's foot is still a big problem. One of the main problems is the complexity of converting anthropometric parameters of the foot shape into a 3D model of the insole.
The following most relevant approaches to modeling a personalized shape of an orthopedic shoe last can be identified:
- Parametric modeling, when the shape elements are created based on algorithmic processes, and the target shape is achieved by changing the parameters of the elements of the basic shape. This method is implemented in special programs that support parametric modeling, or with the involvement of special plugins for the development of appropriate algorithms
- Visual SubD modeling, when the basic shape of the shoe last is modified by editing the SubD surface frame in accordance with the shape of the 3D copy of the patient's foot
- NURBS modeling. A traditional method of modeling complex 3D shapes, based on manipulations with spatial surfaces using shape-forming curves and nodal points, which ensures high design accuracy.
Considering the advantages and disadvantages of the methods, the work used a combined approach that includes elements of parametric and SubD modeling to develop an improved method for designing a personalized orthopedic shoe last in the Rhinoceros CAD. The use of SubD greatly facilitates the process of 3D shape modification, but has insufficient design accuracy, to compensate for which a step-by-step verification of the main shape parameters and control curves is performed.
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How to Cite (MLA):
L. Chertenko et al., "The Role of 3D Technologies in Improving Design and Technological Processes of Orthopedic Footwear Production", Proceedings of 3DBODY.TECH 2025 - 16th International Conference and Expo on 3D/4D Body Scanning, Data and Processing Technologies, Lugano, Switzerland, 21-22 Oct. 2025, #44, https://doi.org/10.15221/25.44
Details:
Proceedings: 3DBODY.TECH 2025, 21-22 Oct. 2025, Lugano, Switzerland
Paper/Presentation: #44
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15221/25.44
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