Every patient is a different geometry.
Orthoses, prosthetic sockets, surgical guides, and implant prototypes are all shaped by anatomy, not by what a slicer finds convenient. Flat layers on organic surfaces mean stair-stepping, weak interlayer bonds along load paths, and post-processing that defeats the point of printing in the first place.
The problem.
Patient-specific devices have complex, organic geometries derived from CT or MRI scans. Standard planar slicers treat these freeform shapes the same way they treat a calibration cube: uniform flat layers, support structures wherever overhangs appear, and stair-step artifacts on every curved surface.
For flexible materials like TPU and silicone, the problem compounds. Layer adhesion can be weaker in elastomers, making interlayer bonds a possible failure mode. On curved anatomy, planar layers may also run unfavourably relative to the expected load direction.
What an automated pipeline produces.
Layers follow the body contour instead of cutting through it. Smoother surface finish, better skin contact, fewer supports on organic shapes.
Path planning tuned for TPU, TPE, and other elastomers with controlled stretch, correct retraction, and layer bonds aligned to the load direction.
Ingest STL meshes derived from medical imaging. The workflow can prepare freeform geometry for slicing, with mesh checks or cleanup included where the input requires them.
Multi-axis orientation and non-planar paths can reduce supports on anatomical shapes and therefore reduce sensitive post-processing.
Different regions of the device can have different infill density and wall thickness, stiffer where load-bearing and softer where conformity matters.
Versioned inputs, parameters and process logs make results easier to reproduce and review within a defined, validated workflow.
Why this fits.
Patient-specific devices are a strong application area for non-planar slicing: parts are individual, geometry is freeform, and surface quality can affect function. Region decomposition and strategy-selection methods developed for industrial parts can be configured for an orthosis workflow, then validated for the selected material, machine and intended use.
Have a patient-specific device that needs better paths?
Send us a scan-derived STL and the material. We'll show you what conformal, non-planar slicing produces.