**---A Story to Tell---** It happened in a day in November 2008. I was called to meet a potential customer in downtown San Jose. The meeting was on short notice and the customer only had a small window of opportunity to meet me. I rushed downtown, but I had a hard time finding parking near the meeting. Finally, I found meter parking by the street. After I parked there, I found that I didn’t bring any cash. While I was hesitating, an old pan-handler offered help. She lent me four quarters. When I took money from her shaking and dirty hands, I felt quite moved. I promised to pay her back after the meeting. After the meeting I withdrew some cash. I came back to the parking location, but I couldn’t find the pan-handler. Although it was only a dollar and I could walk away, I felt an obligation to find her. I knew she was not too far away so I searched several blocks and finally found her. I returned the money with my gratitude. We never walk away from our obligations. We don’t reduce our obligations because you are too young, too old, disabled, or are new to the technology. This is how serious we mean business. **---Updated: Dec. 5, 2008--- ** Introduction Sharp Shape has been integrating the Automated Orthotic Manufacturing System (AOMS) for more than a decade. We understand that each system setup is unique because of its location, the type of mill, and the requirements. We offer a customized system by letting you choose the device you want to carve. Depending on your need, you can choose carved mold, carved orthotic and/or carved insole. We can further tailor our system to your needs by interfacing a variety of CNC machines and by integrating the system in your plant. Naturally, the cost/time factor on such a project will be negotiated, but we can assure you that it will be the lowest cost, fastest time available within the industry. We can’t say that we have the best system because different customers have different tastes, but we can proudly say that our system has the best value for money. This is one of the reasons that we have the largest share of the market. From an alternative system to the dominating one, more than forty-five systems have been installed worldwide. By estimate, well more than one million of orthotics have been produced from these systems. We are very busy, but we have never been in luxury. Because we don't spend resources on major advertising, renting and hiring, we are able to make our products more affordable than any other similar products on the market. Our success is primarily measured by the feeling of our achievements, not measured by our tangible properties. Behind our success, we have a simple philosophy: if our system doesn't benefit our customers, there should be no room for us to stand. One key to our success is our commitment to make all critical components in-house, while not reinventing the wheel by not making the off-the-shelf products. This allows us to control quality, cost, and availability, and pass the benefits on to our customers. Despite of our English Language inefficiency, every component that is associated with the AOMS must be efficient! Systems, Products, and Services A complete product and service line of orthotic automation has been formed during the past ten years. They are listed in the following. a. 3D laser cast scanner It is an electronic imaging equipment designed for the labs or podiatry groups who normally work with patient's negative foot casts. Impression foam can also be scanned with certain limitations. It has been proved to be accurate and reliable in many labs. b. 3D laser foot scanner, Model 2V It is an electronic imaging equipment designed for podiatrists working with patient’s feet. The current foot scanner is the third generation of the product line. It is accurate and compatible with our CAD/CAM system. c. Semi-Custom and Prefab orthotic design package. For use in labs and doctor’s offices, it serves as an alternative subsystem to make the devices to relieve patient's minor symptoms that are not justifying a more costly fully customized devise. It is also meant to reduce cost in orthotic production. This is a newly developed package. Please make an inquiry if you are interested. d. Matching system. Evolved from the above package, a matching system emerges. This system utilizes our scanners and the customer’s existing orthotic library to produce matches using a software package developed by us. It saves the expenses on the mill and time in cast corrections. We have installed one such as system. Please contact us for details. e. CAD (Computer Aided Design) program in AOMS Using this program, the user is able to apply biomechanical corrections and controls to the scanned casts according to doctor's prescriptions. From a generic correction base, we customize our program to the correction types preferred. f. CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing) program in AOMS Using this program, the user is able to schedule the placement of devices on the mill and generate a milling toolpath file. We customize our program to almost any CNC mills or routers that you choose for your system. g. Installation and training Installation and training are provided at customer's location. A setup trip is used to integrate the whole system and to provide adequate training for the operator(s). If you choose a simple solution, such as a hub system, the setup trip may be waived. h. Consultation Provided for choosing the market products, such as CNC mills/routers, computers, and networks. We also help you on your own research and development. Our experience and expertise Sharp Shape is a multi-disciplined company that specializes in the manufacture and design of leading edge foot/cast scanners and orthotic CAD/CAM programs. 1. 3D imaging hardware and software. Originated in space technology, we have the knowledge of acquiring 3D information of an object through laser (optical) / mechanical / electronic methods. We designed and made our own laser scanners and CAD/CAM software. 2. CNC technology. Once hired by a CNC mill manufacturer as a design engineer, we are knowledgeable in the CNC technology. Because of this knowledge, we provide the best consultation to our customers about which CNC machine to use for their applications. 3. Automation in the field of foot orthotics. After 11 years of setting up systems for orthotic labs, we have plenty of experience in integrating orthotic automation systems to produce corrective and comfort foot orthotics. Our Commitments We guarantee the following to the customer if we get paid for the setup. 1. No royalty. We are committed to a business that only a few providers can sustain in. Once you get our system, the more you use it the more you benefit from it. 2. No audit. We do not use software mechanism to record, report, or control the times that you use the system. 3. Provide timely support to people who have supported us. Unlike calling a big company, you usually reach a live person when you call us. Although very hard to do, we haven't charged fees for our support. 4. The ten-year history is not the end of our innovation. We have concrete ideas to innovate the orthotic manufacturing process in the next decade. Our Mission Statement To provide scanners, CAD/CAM programs and services to our customers in the most cost-effective way possible while maintaining the highest standards of product quality and moral business conduct. To listen and learn from our customers and associates, and to implement suggestions which are deemed to have even the slightest merit in a timely fashion. References and contacts: We are a proud Professional Partner of PFOLA (Prescription Foot Orthotic Laboratory Association). PFOLA is an influential organization in the custom-foot-orthotic field here in the United States and abroad. You may want to visit their wet site at www.pfola.org. Our mailing address: Sharp Shape 1154 Kentwood Ave. Cupertino, CA 95014 Tel & Fax: 408-777-0461 USA You can send emails to us: sharpshape@comcast.net **---An Old Story---** Can you imagine how much AOMS was used? You must have some experience with the keyboard. When you use a keyboard a lot, the top of the keys will become shiny by rubbing and punching. What happens if you keep using it? The letter on the key will gradually faint away and the key become blank. What happens if you still keep using it? The plastic key will be worn through (with a hole on it). Ten years ago, I set up the AOMS system for a large lab. A couple of years ago, I revisited them on an upgrade, I was amazed by the look of the four arrow keys being used. They were blanks. The operator told me that they have replace six keyboards, and every one of them had holes on the arrow keys. Imagine that! We don’t charge royalties. The more you use the system, the more you benefit from it. Someone must have the impression that AOMS is used for large labs. That is a myth. By configuring the system with a low-cost router, you are able to reduce the cost on the system a lot. As result, AOMS is also suitable for some podiatrist/pedorthist groups and shoe stores if you have reasonable volume of production. Please contact us if you are interested. 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