milling
Orteam (BE)
Orteam replaced manual plasterwork with an advanced milling robot from CNC Solutions. This digital transformation has provided the orthopedic company with maximum precision, increased capacity, and a quick return on investment.
From traditional plaster casting to digital control
At Orteam, custom orthotics are central to the business. For a long time, the production process relied heavily on traditional craftsmanship using handmade plaster molds. This was physically demanding and very time-consuming. Outsourcing to other countries proved not to be a solution: quality was inconsistent, and Orteam preferred to keep quality control in-house.
Milling robot from CNC Solutions
Standard milling machines proved too weak for Orteam’s PU foam and MDF molds. CNC Solutions immediately got involved and proposed a custom-configured milling robot. After a convincing on-site trial setup, the decision was quickly made.
“Milling with a robot sounds intimidating, but with the right partner, the transition is very simple,” says Wouter Van Assche, production manager at Orteam. “From day one, CNC Solutions proactively worked with us to find a solution that perfectly meets our needs.”
Maximum precision thanks to ENCY
The process is now streamlined and digital. A practitioner scans the patient, after which the 3D design is developed in ENCY and sent directly to the milling robot.
Pomarin Phonsavatdi, CAD/CAM manager at Orteam, emphasizes the improvement in quality: “Our precision has been taken to a whole new level. Every design is milled exactly as we drew it digitally. The margin of error is virtually zero.”
Furthermore, no operator is needed on the production line. There are eight workpieces on the conveyor belt, which are picked up and returned by the robot.
Fast payback period
The results are clear. With the time-consuming plaster process eliminated, Orteam saves 2 to 3 FTE in man-hours. As a result, the investment paid for itself within 3 to 4 years. Furthermore, the company can now scale up significantly within its existing facility, supported by the services of CNC Solutions.