Pushing the Boundaries of Orthopedic Insole Production with PA11.5

• Company: Fußorthopädie Paul Hast GmbH
• Industry: Orthopedic Insoles
• Location: Hamburg, Germany
• Website: www.paul-hast.de

Background

Fußorthopädie Paul Hast GmbH, based in Hamburg, has stood for innovation in orthopedics for more than 100 years. For decades, the company has combined craftsmanship with innovation to improve patient mobility and comfort. Early methods such as injection molding and TPU-based 3D printing were important first steps in digital manufacturing but soon revealed limitations in design freedom, durability, and scalability.

The real breakthrough came with two milestones:

• Scaling with three Lisa X printers, securing 1st place in Sinterit’s global competition for the highest number of printing hours.
  
• Introducing SUZY with PA11.5, which enabled cost-efficient, scalable, and uncompromised orthopedic insole production.
  

With the adoption of the Sinterit SUZY 3D Printer and PA11.5 powder, Paul Hast GmbH unlocked a new level of precision, lightness, flexibility, and reliability in advanced insole manufacturing.

Challenge

• Material limitations: TPU was flexible but heavy and offered limited design options. Attempts to reinforce it with hard rubber introduced fragility and restricted geometry.
  
• Dependence on injection molding: Traditional manufacturing limited design freedom, slowed prototyping, and increased reliance on external suppliers.
  
• FDM for insole production: Initial tests with a Bambu Lab printer showed both opportunities and limitations. FDM is an easy, local solution, excellent for research, prototyping, and fast idea validation. It is cost-efficient but not comparable to the performance and biomechanical precision enabled by SLS printing with PA11.5.
  
• Need for scalability: With rising patient demand, Paul Hast required a solution balancing speed, cost, and biomechanical performance.
  

“We are satisfied with the FDM printers and will continue to use them in our research and development. It’s a fantastic, simple solution for local applications and early tests. But the premium care level comes with SLS and PA11.5 – where, supported by a well-functioning insole library, we can address patient needs far more precisely and individually.”
— Peter Hartung, CEO of Paul Hast GmbH

Solution

Scaling with Lisa X

Starting with a Lisa Pro, the Paul Hast team gradually built expertise in powder-based 3D printing. By 2022, they had scaled up to three Lisa X machines, achieving more than 14,000 total printing hours, with a single device surpassing 10,000 hours. This dedication earned Paul Hast 1st place in Sinterit’s global competition for the highest Lisa X usage.

“At the beginning, I had little experience with 3D printing. Today, we run an automated workflow with a digital insole library and algorithms generating patient-specific templates. What once took hours of manual labor now happens overnight in the printer.”
— Peter Hartung

The Next Step: Suzy + PA11.5

While Lisa X established a reliable and advanced production line, Paul Hast sought a solution for faster, more cost-efficient, and scalable production.

The answer was the combination of Sinterit Suzy + PA11.5:

• Geometric freedom – PA11.5 enables biomechanically optimized designs that cannot be achieved with FDM.
  
• Production efficiency – Suzy provides a compact, affordable platform ideal for scaling everyday production.
  
• Premium solution compared to FDM – FDM remains a useful local and cost-efficient tool for research and prototyping. But Suzy + PA11.5 represent the premium, high-performance solution that allows fully individualized, uncompromised insoles at scale.
  

“Even though we already had three Lisa X printers, Suzy turned out to be a fantastic complement. It gave us speed and cost efficiency without compromising quality. Together with PA11.5, it is our premium solution.”
— Peter Hartung

Results

“When PA11.5 arrived, it was clear: this was the material we had been waiting for. In combination with Suzy, we can fully leverage our digital insole library and deliver premium-level care to patients.”
— Peter Hartung, CEO of Paul Hast GmbH

• Superior product quality: Insoles with optimized lightness, flexibility, fit, and durability.
  
• Patient satisfaction: Customers report higher comfort and appreciation for individualized, advanced designs.
  
• Scalability unlocked: Three Lisa X printers secure high-performance production, while Suzy provides cost-efficient scalability for everyday insoles.
  
• Sustainable economics: PA11.5, compatible with nitrogen-free Suzy, makes innovation financially viable and production flexible.
  

Future Outlook

The future roadmap of Paul Hast GmbH focuses on balancing two complementary approaches:

• FDM as an easy, cost-efficient local solution for research, development, and quick tests.
  
• SLS with Suzy + PA11.5 as the premium solution, enabling uncompromised, patient-specific insoles with the support of a robust digital insole library.
  

“Paul Hast GmbH continues to expand its digital orthopedic manufacturing capabilities. FDM is a valuable research platform, but premium patient care is delivered with Suzy and PA11.5. The more we innovate, the more people benefit from our century of orthopedic expertise.”
— Peter Hartung

Conclusion

The investment in three Lisa X printers was a milestone that confirmed Paul Hast GmbH’s pioneering role in additive manufacturing. But the real transformation came with the Suzy + PA11.5 combination, which made insole production scalable, affordable, and uncompromised.

Want to hear the story first-hand? Watch the full interview with Peter Hartung, CEO of Fußorthopädie Paul Hast GmbH, where he shares insights on innovation, tradition, and the role of SLS 3D printing in orthopedic insole production: