Since 1989, Altimate Medical Inc. has manufactured standing frames and mobility aids for people with disabilities, such as spinal cord injuries, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis and cerebral palsy. The company's popular EasyStand product line includes multiple models of pediatric, youth and adult "standers" that are sold in more than 25 countries.
For five years, Altimate's product development team leveraged rapid prototyping services from a service bureau to aid in the product development process. The team would send product designs to the service bureau, and it would take up to three weeks to get the model back. The cost for this service was substantial, especially considering the lengthy turnaround time for the models.
The Dimension Solution
After researching the different 3D printing technologies available, the design team at Altimate Medical purchased a Dimension BST® 3D Printer.
After integrating the easy-to-use BST into their design process, the Altimate team realized an immediate return on its investment through its ability to quickly make models in-house at a substantially reduced cost, improving their design process and saving time and money.
"A model that cost $1,000 and took three weeks to get from a service bureau can now be made internally for around $100. It dramatically improves our flexibility in making changes to product designs, which ultimately allows us to produce higher quality products for our customers at a fraction of the price," said Gabe Routh, Product Development Manager for Altimate Medical, Inc.