Case Study: Clubfoot Solutions achieves rapid, affordable development of an improved Iowa Brace with Stratasys 3D printing

Lightning-Speed Prototyping Accelerates Innovation at University of Iowa’s Protostudios Lab with FDM and PolyJet 3D Printing

Clubfoot Solutions, founded by Dr. Thomas Cook, set out to improve the traditional “Iowa Brace” by creating an articulating platform that lets children move while maintaining corrective positioning. Because the redesign required extensive testing and fast iteration, the University of Iowa Protostudios team leveraged Stratasys technology—including the Stratasys F370 FDM printer (PC‑ABS) and the Stratasys J750 Digital Anatomy/PolyJet platform—to prototype and validate the new brace quickly.

Using Stratasys FDM for strong functional prototypes and the J750/PolyJet for mold masters and visual validation, Protostudios produced 18 design iterations, tested prototypes on patients (early tests with about six children revealed a cracking locking attachment that was redesigned and the connecting bar thickness doubled), and sped time-to-injection without post‑processing. The Stratasys workflow accelerated development and scaled production validation—Clubfoot Solutions has now distributed nearly 100,000 Iowa Braces, advancing its mission to provide affordable, non‑surgical treatment worldwide.

Clubfoot Solutions

Thomas Cook

Co-founder