Abstract
For many severely handicapped children requiring external trunk support there is probably no better solution than to provide custom moulded seating. This will improve the patient's posture, reduce the occurrence of pressure sores and facilitate such activities as feeding. However, if large numbers of patients are to be supplied with this type of equipment, it is important that it should be manufactured at the lowest cost compatible with an acceptable quality.
These manufacturing problems have been studied in considerable detail and a production method using vacuum consolidation casting together with a modified vacuum forming process has been developed. This has made it possible to produce custom moulded seating efficiently with the minimum of capital equipment. Much attention has been paid to the final appearance of the article and this has been enhanced by the use of commercially available items for the supporting structure and for the finishing of edges, etc.
It is suggested that other orthoses could be redesigned for production using an approach similar to that described in this paper.