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3D Printing Success Story

Pacific Northwest Orthopedics: 62% Faster Turnaround

Large orthopedic practice reduces custom orthotic delivery from 14 days to 5 days while cutting production costs by 38% using in-house 3D printing.

Large Practice (50+ patients/day) Seattle, WA 6-month study period

Key Results

Turnaround Time 14d → 5d (-62%)
Production Cost $89 → $55 (-38%)
Patient Satisfaction 4.2 → 4.8 (+14%)
Daily Capacity 8 → 18 pairs (+125%)

The Challenge

Before Implementation

  • 14-day average turnaround for custom orthotics
  • $89 average cost per orthotic pair including lab fees
  • Limited to 8 pairs per day maximum capacity
  • 15% remake rate due to communication errors with external lab
  • Patient satisfaction declining due to wait times

Practice Profile

Daily Patient Volume: 50-65 patients
Orthotic Prescriptions: 25-30% of patients
Practice Type: Multi-specialty orthopedic
Staff Count: 12 clinical staff
Years in Operation: 18 years

The Approach

Equipment Selection

Primary Equipment:

  • • Apex Belt V2 3D Printer - High-volume production
  • • OrthoCAD Pro Software - Integrated design workflow
  • • Structured Light Scanner - Precision foot capture
  • • Post-processing Station - Automated support removal

Implementation Timeline:

  • • Week 1-2: Equipment installation and calibration
  • • Week 3-4: Staff training and certification
  • • Week 5-8: Parallel operation with external lab
  • • Week 9+: Full in-house production transition

Workflow Optimization

1. Immediate Scanning

Patient scanned during appointment, no separate visit required.

2. Same-day Design

OrthoCAD modifications completed within 2 hours of scan.

3. Overnight Printing

Unattended printing queued for next-day completion.

Results Achieved

After Implementation

  • 5-day average turnaround (62% improvement)
  • $55 average cost per pair (38% reduction)
  • 18 pairs per day maximum capacity (125% increase)
  • 3% remake rate due to improved accuracy
  • Patient satisfaction increased to 4.8/5.0

6-Month Financial Impact

Equipment Investment: $47,500
Monthly Savings: $28,400
Payback Period: 1.7 months
6-Month ROI: 257%
Total 6-Month Savings: $122,900

Before vs After: Key Performance Indicators

Turnaround Time

Before: 14 days
After: 5 days

Cost Per Pair

Before: $89
After: $55

Daily Capacity

Before: 8 pairs
After: 18 pairs

Patient Satisfaction

Before: 4.2/5.0
After: 4.8/5.0

Want Similar Results for Your Practice?

Our team can help you evaluate whether in-house orthotic production makes sense for your clinic size and patient volume.

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