Orthotic Scanner Options: Does Your Clinic Need One?

An orthotic scanner captures the shape of a patient's foot as a 3D file, so a lab can make custom orthotics from it. It does the same job as a foam impression box or a plaster cast, without the physical mould. For a clinic, the hardware matters less than the workflow around it: how the shape is captured, how it reaches the lab, and what it costs to run.

No capture method decides the outcome on its own. Capture technique, a complete prescription and the patient's footwear all matter. Ask any scanner vendor or lab what evidence they have for the uses you care about. Orthix orders use capture in the app, with foam impressions accepted as a secondary option.

Orthix is a custom orthotics lab with its own ordering app, so capture is part of the order rather than a separate device:

1. Complete the online assessment in the app.
2. Capture both feet on a phone or iPad. The app guides positioning and lighting.
3. The app generates a 3D model. Review it with your patient.
4. Submit the order. The model is attached, so there's no file to export or email.
5. Track the order in the app until the orthotics ship to your clinic.

There's no scanner to buy, lease or maintain, and nothing to pack for digital orders. Step-by-step capture tips are in our guide to capturing feet for custom orthotics on a phone or iPad.

A dedicated scanner isn't the wrong choice. It can suit a clinic that:

• already owns one and has staff trained on it
• sends orders to a lab that requires that scanner's files
• wants a fixed scanning station as part of a larger assessment set-up

If that's your clinic, compare the total cost (purchase or lease, software fees and support) with ordering in an app on devices you already have. Contact the lab at +1 (604) 447-2880 or info@orthix.ca to talk through your current equipment.

• What does it cost up front, and are there monthly software or lease fees?
• Which labs accept its files, and in what format?
• Does it tie you to one lab?
• How much room does it need, and can it move between treatment rooms or locations?
• How long does training take, and who supports you when something breaks?
• Where are patient scans stored, and how are they protected?
• Does it support the capture positions your assessment uses, for example weight-bearing or non-weight-bearing?

Prefer foam for some patients? Foam impressions are accepted as a secondary option. They have to travel to the lab before review can start, which adds courier time. See digital foot capture vs foam impressions for the trade-offs, and orthotics lab shipping across Canada for how finished orthotics reach your clinic.