Design Guidelines for Belt 3D Printing Custom Orthotics

Design with the Finished Orthotic In Mind

The path from a digital orthotic design to a wearable device depends on more than the printer. Geometry, thickness, and file preparation all influence print quality, firmness, and the finishing work that follows.

Belt 3D printing introduces a different set of design considerations. Its angled build plane changes how features are supported during printing, creating opportunities to incorporate more of the final orthotic into the digital model.

Our Design Guideline for Belt Printing explains how to apply these principles to soft-shell orthotics using Aero on Orion, Mosaic’s purpose-built orthotics production system. It gives orthotics designers, labs, and clinics a practical reference for preparing designs with production in mind.

Improve Print Reliability

Understand how belt contact, feature thickness, and the angled print plane affect the printability of your orthotic designs.

Reduce Manual Finishing

Build shoe-fit tapers, edge details, and identification into your digital model to reduce grinding and handling after printing.

Design for Variable Shore Hardness

Learn how internal density and feature thickness influence firmer and softer zones within a single-material orthotic.

What you’ll find inside:

Clear geometry requirements: Guidance on belt-contacting surfaces, minimum thickness, edge transitions, and overhangs.
Design details that reduce downstream work: Considerations for heel and arch tapers, surface finish, and built-in identification.
Variable-firmness guidance: How density and thickness work together to influence the response of different orthotic regions.
File preparation requirements: Accepted formats, mesh checks, and file structures for uniform or variable firmness.
A pre-print checklist: A consolidated reference to review before sending an orthotic to production.

Whether you’re exploring belt printing or preparing designs for Orion, use the guide to understand what to build into your model and what to check before you print.