The Plantar Orthosis Modeling and Simulating Assisted by Computer Barbu BRAUN 1 ; Ionel SERBAN 1 ; Diana COTOROS 1 1 TRANSILVANIA University of Brasov, Romania, Advanced Mechatronic Systems Department e-mail: braun@unitbv.ro ; serban_ionel1984@yahoo.com ; dcotoros@yahoo.com Abstract- This paper presents how to proceed for CAD modeling and finite element simulation of elements that goes into plantar orthesis families. The research issue is to prototype different types of plantar orthesis families that could be adapted into the orthopedic shoes of some people with different problems of locomotion and/or stability, the aim being to ensure thereby a progressive correction of these disabilities. Keywords: plantar orthesis, modeling, simulation, CAD I. ON THE RAPID PROTOTYPING IN BIOMECHANICS Because some diseases on the stability or locomotion affect largely the life’s quality, nowadays many researches are dedicated for the on prototyping improving in Biomechanics. A representative example is the plantar orthesis to correct the locomotion and posture deficiencies, thus because such of problems could lead to different problems like: request above knee, ligament legs, spine, joint pains and so on. For this reason, actually the modern devices for foot sole scanning, assisted by PC are largely used. Different devices for locomotion and stability parameters are also frequently used, most times associated with the plantar scanning devices. Different materials like silicon, plastic, memory foam are used to obtain the orthesis prototype respecting the subject’s foot sole conformation. The information previously obtained due to the equipment used for any locomotion or posture investigation is taken into account for the plantar orthesis prototyping. Nowadays different kind of plantar orthesis were developed, like: foot inserts, correction of static foot orthosis, calcaneal sights, plantar supporters and so on [1], [2]. Although the actual method used for corrective plantar orthesis obtaining are very proper and efficient, their main disadvantage refers to the costs caused to the used complex equipment. For this reason, our research aims is to develop a flexible method which could reduce the costs to obtain some orthesis elements to correct different stability or locomotion diseases. Thus invokes a complex research on modeling, simulation and prototyping of some components that compose different plantar orthesis as insert into orthopedic shoes. The next step in our research will represent the manufacturing of the orthotic components that have been modeled and simulated. The research goal is to identify and complete a flexible and low cost solution on plantar orthesis prototyping with application in orthopedic shoes. II. THE DESCRIPTION OF THE CAD MODELING STAGES OF SOME ORTHOTIC ELEMENTS WITH APPLICATION IN ORTHOPEDIC FOOTWEAR The CAD modeling of some components that will compose the plantar orthesis represented an important step for our research on the prototyping. Therefore the first step was to obtain the reference CAD model of the plantar area, due to a previously foot scanning. After scanning, the foot CAD model were imported into CATIA V5 environment as clouds of points, which was then converted into a continuous surface. For this, the mesh creation step was necessary (figure 1). Fig. 1. The mesh creation procedure applied for the reference model. After the mesh creation procedure, the following step consisted into the original surface erasing in order to obtain just the reference surface to be further processed. After that, the automatic surface was generated (figure 2), the necessary steps being presented [3], [4]. Fig. 2. The automatic surface applying over the reference surface: The automatic surface generation tool; b) The initial meshed surface; c) The meshed surface with the new generated surface supperposing; d) The automatic surface generation