XO Armor Uses Bambu Lab X1C for On-Site Medical Orthotics Production

3D Printing Meets Healthcare

When you think of 3D printing in medicine, photopolymer resin printers for dental applications or metal printers for titanium implants probably come to mind. But FFF filament printers are quietly revolutionising a different corner of healthcare: personalised orthotics.

XO Armor Technologies, an Alabama-based startup, is using Bambu Lab X1C printers to produce custom-fit orthotic devices directly in clinics — turning any treatment room into an on-site fabrication facility.

From Weeks to Minutes

The traditional orthotic process involves casting, shipping to a lab, waiting for fabrication, and shipping back. Patients often wait 2-3 weeks for a custom device.

XO Armor’s scan-to-print workflow changes that dramatically:

• 3D scan the patient using a handheld scanner
• Design the device using XO Armor’s software
• Print on-site with a Bambu Lab X1C
• Deliver same-day — often in under an hour

“On-site manufacturing removes many of the friction points of product logistics involved with delivering a high-quality orthosis by allowing any room in a clinic to become a clean fabrication site,” said Robert Schiewe, Director of Orthotics at XO Armor.

What They Print

XO Armor produces a range of medical devices on their X1C fleet:

• Custom foot orthotics — rigid, flex, and foam variants
• Ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) — including jointed versions
• Upper extremity splints — finger splints, wrist braces, thumb orthoses
• Protective sports equipment — custom padding for athletes

The company recently introduced their 3D printed foot orthotics in three variants, with a new foam option designed for patient comfort.

Pro Sports Adoption

XO Armor isn’t just working with clinics. They’ve partnered with major professional sports teams across the NFL, MLB, MLS, and collegiate athletics to provide custom protective gear.

For athletes, the ability to get a perfectly fitted guard or orthotic within a single training session — rather than waiting for a lab to ship something back — is a game-changer for both recovery and performance.

Why Bambu Lab X1C?

The X1C makes sense for this application for several reasons:

• Speed — CoreXY motion and high flow hotend mean faster print times
• Reliability — consistent results with minimal supervision (“lights-out” printing)
• Material versatility — TPU for flexible devices, rigid materials for structural supports
• Price point — under £1,000 for industrial-grade capability
• Compact footprint — fits in a clinical setting without dedicated lab space

XO Armor also sells the Bambu Lab TPU 95A HF filament through their store, suggesting it’s their go-to material for flexible orthotic devices.

What This Means for the Industry

This is a significant shift in how durable medical equipment (DME) gets made. Instead of centralised fabrication labs, we’re seeing distributed manufacturing — production happening where the patient is.

For orthotists and prosthetists, this means:

• Faster patient turnaround
• Lower overhead (no shipping, no lab fees)
• Ability to iterate designs instantly
• Same-day service that differentiates their practice

The Bigger Picture

XO Armor represents a broader trend: consumer-grade 3D printers entering professional applications. The Bambu Lab X1C was designed as a desktop printer for hobbyists, but its combination of speed, reliability, and price has made it viable for medical device production.

As these machines continue to improve, expect to see more small clinics and independent practitioners bringing production in-house rather than outsourcing to specialised labs.

Bottom Line

XO Armor’s use of Bambu Lab X1C printers shows that consumer FFF technology has matured enough for serious medical applications. If a startup can produce FDA-regulated orthotics on a sub-£1,000 printer, the barrier to entry for distributed manufacturing has never been lower.

For orthotists, athletic trainers, and rehabilitation specialists, on-site 3D printing is no longer experimental — it’s a practical solution that’s already in production.