Ottobock brings 3D printed silicone liner to market with iconiq | VoxelMatters
Ottobock, an orthopedic technology company, has introduced iconiq, its first 3D printed silicone liner for leg prosthesis users, following a German premiere at OTWorld in Leipzig last week. The product targets common problems that users experience with their devices, ranging from pain and sores on the residual limb to skin irritation that limits or prevents prosthesis use.
The liner — the interface layer between the residual limb and the prosthetic socket — has historically presented orthotics and prosthetics professionals with a binary choice: standardized products with limited customization, or complex and costly custom fabrications. Iconiq is positioned as a third option, using additive manufacturing and a fully digital ordering process to produce individualized liners at an industrial scale.
“The iconiq liner is an example of our strategy: to make our innovations available to as many users as possible, thereby providing them with high-quality fittings. The iconiq is another component in implementing this claim globally. With it, we offer an efficient solution without compromising on quality and precision,” said Oliver Jakobi, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Strategy Officer at Ottobock.
From scan to production
The workflow begins with a 3D scan of the patient’s residual limb — requiring no markers or specialist equipment — which generates a data set accounting for individual anatomy, sensitive areas, and scar tissue. The O&P professional then selects a design and enters the residual limb length via Ottobock’s ordering platform, after which the data transfers directly to the company’s production department for additive manufacturing. The process eliminates the need for mould construction.
“With iconiq, we are creating a future-proof solution that overcomes the existing conflict between standard solutions and customization,” said Arne Jörn, Chief Technology Officer and Chief Operating Officer at Ottobock. “We are industrializing customization so that it no longer becomes the exception, but the norm in everyday care.”
Clinical and user specifications
The liner uses variable thickness profiles to distribute compression evenly and maintain a secure fit. Ottobock stated the material properties make iconiq suitable for active and athletic users as well as for children and adults with mobility grade 2 and above. A phased market rollout is now underway.
