As a central fabrication, you have a lot of customers and a lot of orders coming in. If you did not switch to 3D scanning yet, it can be difficult to reach your deadlines and to take more customers or more orders without increasing the technicians on your payroll.
Moreover, in a period of self-isolation as the one we know currently, it can be hard to have new orders going in or to keep business going with teleworking.
Let’s detail the benefits of 3D scanning for the central fabrication by comparing it to the traditional methods regarding the pain known.
| CATEGORY | SUBCATEGORY | TRADITIONAL METHOD | 3D SCANNING |
|---|---|---|---|
| Measurements | METHOD | Depending on clinicians | Standardized |
| ERRORS | Depending on clinicians Errors can be added to errors from capture | Depending on capture/3D scanner No error addition from capture | |
| UNIFORMITY | No | Yes | |
| Forms | FILL IN | Do not get complete information usually | Unable to be sent if mandatory fields not filled in |
| UNIFORMITY | No | Yes | |
| Shipping | DAMAGE | Casts/Foam boxes can be damaged | No damage to digital files |
| FEES | Cost of shipping or carrier | No cost | |
| TIME | 2-3 days | Instant | |
| Design | WORK | In-house | In-house or remote |
| TIME | 2-3 hours | 1 hour | |
| MEASUREMENTS | Manual measurements can be not enough | Access to the complete shape of the body part | |
| Storage | PLACE | Room/warehouse | Computer/server |
| ORGANIZATION | Difficult to find an old model | Easy to find an old model | |
| Marketing | On forms | On forms Customized app | |
| Customers | RANGE | Hard to reach out customers from outside of the local area | Easy to reach out customers from outside of the local area |
| NEW CLINICIANS | Repulsed by the complexity of the traditional method | Like the ease and speed that technology offers | |
| Centralization and standardization | UNIFORMITY | Each clinic practice is different and hard to change | Same tools and methods to capture and measure |
| SALES REPRESENTATIVES | Need to know all the old and new methods | Same method for everybody | |
| TRAINING | Not easy to train new customers | Easy and can be done online | |
| Employees | A lot of technicians needed to design and produce | Limited number of technicians needed | |
| Insurance | INFORMATION | Not much data and information | Give accurate data and more information |
| FULL CUSTOM PRODUCT | Limited reimbursement | Optimal reimbursement | |
| Ecology | Lots of material waste (subtractive manufacturing) | Free of waste (additive manufacturing) |
The COVID impact
During and after the COVID-19 pandemic, 3D scanning is even more relevant to help C-Fabs. Indeed, while the world is in slow motion with a lot of companies closed, carriers overloaded extending their delivery time, self-isolation and social distancing, it is difficult to have new orders coming in or to make progress on previous orders when you are using traditional methods.
On the other hand, using 3D scanning allows central fabrication to slow down without completely stopping by having new orders coming in through emails, designing products remotely and send it to a waiting list on the production line.
Contact our team
At TechMed 3D, we give information, training and support about our solutions. Contact us and we will help you to make the transition if you are interested in.
