KAFO in Anchor Lamination Technique

Mount the system joint by using the assembly/lamination dummy and in accordance with the exploded view drawing. When laminating, the assembly/lamination dummy serves as placeholder for the system joint's cover plate.

Note: You can find the exploded view drawings in our product catalogue System Joints and Articulated System Side Bars.

Press the system anchors to the joint’s upper and/or lower part by using a washer and a screw. To do so, use a torque screwdriver and a torque of 6Nm. Then, remove washer and screw again.

Fix the system anchors with both screws before you begin bending.

While bending, note the applicable bending radii and use a bending iron with round edges.

Note: You will find information on bending radii and the tools to be used in the instructions for use System Side Bars and System Anchors.

Check the distance from the system anchors to the positive cast. Please make sure to have enough space left for the reinforcing profile and the reinforcement layers in order to avoid later strains to the laminate. Thus, the joint areas stay parallel.

Grind the system anchors. Always grind in the direction of rolling. Remove all notches from bending and avoid sharp edges.

Use the activator spray as basis. Use some stockinette as underlay when attaching the profile core. Heat the profile core and adhere it from below to the system anchor with medium-viscous fast-acting adhesive.

Note: Mind the safety data sheet when using fast-acting adhesive.

Pull at the stockinette from both sides and press the profile core from below to the system anchor in order to secure it.

Example for the course of a profile core on a unilateral KAFO.

Note: With this course, you set the stiffness of an orthosis in the particular areas.

Reinforce exclusively the profile core of the tibial shell. Add some medium viscous fast-acting adhesive to the system anchor and profile core. Heat a second profile core and adhere it to the first.

Note: Mind the safety data sheet when using fast-acting adhesive.

Example for the course of a profile core on a unilateral KAFO.

Note: Have the profile core cool to room temperature before removing it from the model to avoid differences in distance due to material shrinking.

Reinforced profile core of the tibial shell (A) in comparison to the single profile core of the femoral shell (B).

If necessary, you can also reinforce the medial side of the femoral shell with a profile core.

Insulate the joint's lower and upper part with a thin layer of insulating wax. Take care to insulate the screw threads of the system anchors as well!

Note: Use a small syringe in order to apply the insulating wax in a simple and accurate way.

Mount the assembly/lamination dummy in accordance with the exploded view drawing. Fill all hollows, grooves and screw threads with insulating wax.

Note: You can find exploded view drawings in our product catalogue System Joints and Articulated System Side Bar.

Clean all areas (from all sides) which shall be embedded into the laminate later. Remove insulating wax and grease residues.

Please note! Due to the materials’ characteristics, always wear nitrile gloves while working with carbon or aramid fibre fabric. 
Pull carbon fibre braided tube over the profile core (up to the system case). Secure it by tying it with aramid fibre roving. Then, stretch the fibres and secure the other end too, if applicable. 
Important! Only the stretched fibre can take on load and release it again!

If the positive cast is still wet, insulate it with compression film first. Then, pull a PA reinforcement stocking over the positive cast. Now, the PVA film tube can easily be pulled over as base film layer.

Note: We recommend using a 0.10mm thick film layer.

We recommend using electrical scissors (e.g. Easy Cutter) to cut the separate fabric layers (carbon as well as aramid).

Note: Use adhesive transfer tape without backing material to secure the cutting edges. This way, the edges will not fray.

Reinforce with carbon fibre fabric. Spare the joint retainer. Use as many layers of carbon fibre fabric as you need (this is an exemplary picture).

Note: Never spray the already adhered reinforcement, but only the pre-cut which still needs to be adhered.

Attach unidirectional carbon fibre band. Adhere the first strap transversely, then reinforce along the profile core. Mind the direction of the fibres (arrows). Use as many layers of carbon fibre band as you need (this is an exemplary picture).
Important! Make sure to use the fibres stretched!

Apply some insulating wax to the thread of the joint retainer in order to seal it airtight for the following steps.

Mount the assembly/lamination dummy with system string to the joint retainer. Find the correct position (the shape of the joint retainer matches the hollow for the bearing nut of the joint's upper part). Screw the retaining screw through the base film into the joint retainer and screw it tight.

Attach unidirectional carbon fibre band to the lower leg area. This time, first attach one strap along the profile core and then transversely below the system case. Mind the direction of the fibres (arrows).

Keep on reinforcing with unidirectional carbon fibre band as described before. Attach a final layer of carbon fibre fabric and cover the assembly/lamination dummy completely in the process.

Finally, in order to fix the reinforcement layers, pull a decorative fabric or a PA reinforcement stocking (for a carbon look) over the model. Thus, the PVA film tube can easily be pulled over as top film layer.

Note: We recommend using a 0.10mm thick film layer.

This production technique is specifically adapted to our epoxy resin and hardener.
Important! Please consider the processing instructions and the safety data sheet for our epoxy resin and hardener. Precisely stick to the mixture ratio and thoroughly mix resin and hardener.

Mix a sufficient amount of resin and hardener. Let the fabrics soak completely and rub surplus resin out. Let the model harden over night (at least 10 hours), under vacuum and at room temperature.
Important! Here, again, please consider the processing instructions for epoxy resin.

Use a sharp knife to remove the thin laminate layer over the assembly/lamination dummy. Remove the screws.

Mark the cutting edges by following the previously modified edges of the later orthosis (blue lines). For optimally integrating the system joint and gaining the maximum possible bearing surfaces, only remove as much of the laminate as necessary and as little as possible.

Carefully lever the assembly/lamination dummy of the system joint out of the laminate. Make sure not to damage the joint areas in the process.

Use an oscillating saw to saw along the cutting edges in order to remove the orthosis parts from the model. You can see the recommended saw blade in the picture. Thus, you can saw very close to the system joint without damaging it.

Remove all laminate parts which are no longer necessary. Then, you can remove the orthosis parts from the model.

Clean the joints' upper and lower parts as well as the system stirrup before you temper the orthosis parts. Heat all wax residues with a hot air blower and blow the liquefied insulating wax out of the hollows. Remove all residues with a cloth. Remove the PVA film tube as well.

Temper all orthosis parts before you grind them. Place the orthosis parts into a cold convection oven and heat it up slowly. When tempered, the orthosis parts are stable and can be worked in the best possible way.
Important! Here, again, please consider the processing instructions for epoxy resin.

Remove the laminate in the system case area. Demount the joint’s upper and lower parts.

Grind the edges of the orthosis parts (e.g. with an angle grinder) but not the system anchors. Clean the system anchors and the system joint.

Secure the connection of system anchor and system joint with the delivered adhesive AGOMET^® F330. Put some already mixed adhesive into the system case and press the system anchor in.

Note: For that, use e.g. a screw with washer (the diameter must be smaller than the system anchor's width). The torque is 6Nm. Remove both immediately after the pressing procedure.
Note: Mind the safety data sheet when using the adhesive AGOMET^® F330.

Secure the screws of the system anchors with AGOMET^® F330 or LOCTITE^® 243 medium strength. Remove adhesive residues with a cloth.

Note: Mind the safety data sheet when using the adhesive AGOMET^® F330 or LOCTITE^® 243 medium strength.

Mount the system joint according to the assembly instruction in the manual of each respective system joint.

Note: You can also find manuals in the download section.

If necessary, you can exchange the joints' upper and lower parts due to the bare system cases. Dissolve the adhesive with a hot-air gun, first.
Important! Take care not to heat the laminate. Then, remove the screws.

Loosen the joint's upper/lower part from the system anchor. Remove adhesive residues and clean the soon to be adhered again areas. In order to mount the exchanged joint's upper/lower part, proceed again according to the steps of the section "Adhering the System Anchor".