Mosaic Orion Is a 3D Printer Built Specifically for Custom Orthotics

Mosaic Manufacturing has released a 3D printer designed from the ground up for orthotics and prosthetics labs. The machine, called Orion, replaces the patchwork of generic desktop printers, foam impressions, and separate design software that most O&P clinics still rely on.

How It Works

Orion uses a belt-based extrusion architecture that lets one patient's device print immediately after the previous one finishes. Automatic queue management means the printer can run overnight or through the weekend without supervision. Mosaic claims output of about 300 pairs per month per machine, with each pair costing roughly $6 in materials and taking around 1 hour and 45 minutes to print.

The system includes two proprietary materials. Aero is an EVA-like compound for soft-shell orthotics that has passed ISO 10993-5 biocompatibility testing. Align is a polypropylene-like material for rigid corrective orthotics that Mosaic says has survived over three million fatigue cycles. Both print on the same machine, so labs do not need separate workflows or technicians for soft versus rigid cases.

Software Integration

Orion ships with the Mosaic Stryde Software Suite, which handles scanning, design, and production management. Existing digital workflows can connect to compatible CAD/CAM setups through standard interfaces. The goal is to eliminate manual foam-box impressions and the standalone design tools that currently fragment the process.

Market Context

Custom orthotics is a compelling use case for 3D printing, but adoption has been slow because most solutions are expensive, fragmented, or difficult to validate in a clinical setting. Mosaic CEO Mitch Debora said the company built Orion after hearing consistent feedback from manufacturers and clinicians who wanted a single, validated end-to-end system. The price point and throughput are aimed at making digital orthotics production accessible to smaller labs that previously could not justify the capital investment.