51-9082.00 · Task explorer
Medical Appliance Technicians: reported tasks and exploration worksheet
Construct, maintain, or repair medical supportive devices such as braces, orthotics and prosthetic devices, joints, arch supports, and other surgical and medical appliances.
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This source lists 16 tasks, including 13 marked Core and 3 marked Supplemental. Labels and dates are retained below. Employers can combine or divide these responsibilities differently; explore the task itself before assuming it belongs in every version of the role.
Task source dates: 08/2026.
16 tasks shown
Core · Task 10515 · 08/2026 · Incumbent
Repair, modify, or maintain medical supportive devices, such as artificial limbs, braces, or surgical supports, according to specifications.
Core · Task 10524 · 08/2026 · Incumbent
Polish artificial limbs, braces, or supports, using grinding and buffing wheels.
Core · Task 10518 · 08/2026 · Incumbent
Construct or receive casts or impressions of patients' torsos or limbs for use as cutting and fabrication patterns.
Core · Task 10514 · 08/2026 · Incumbent
Read prescriptions or specifications to determine the type of product or device to be fabricated and the materials and tools required.
Core · Task 10513 · 08/2026 · Incumbent
Make orthotic or prosthetic devices, using materials such as thermoplastic and thermosetting materials, metal alloys and leather, and hand or power tools.
Core · Task 10519 · 08/2026 · Incumbent
Bend, form, and shape fabric or material to conform to prescribed contours of structural components.
Core · Task 10522 · 08/2026 · Incumbent
Test medical supportive devices for proper alignment, movement, or biomechanical stability, using meters and alignment fixtures.
Core · Task 10520 · 08/2026 · Incumbent
Drill and tap holes for rivets, and glue, weld, bolt, or rivet parts together to form prosthetic or orthotic devices.
Core · Task 10521 · 08/2026 · Incumbent
Lay out and mark dimensions of parts, using templates and precision measuring instruments.
Core · Task 10523 · 08/2026 · Incumbent
Cover or pad metal or plastic structures or devices, using coverings such as rubber, leather, felt, plastic, or fiberglass.
Core · Task 24060 · 08/2026 · Incumbent
Order parts or supplies for orthotic or prosthetic devices.
Core · Task 10526 · 08/2026 · Incumbent
Mix pigments to match patients' skin coloring, according to formulas, and apply mixtures to orthotic or prosthetic devices.
Core · Task 10525 · 08/2026 · Incumbent
Service or repair machinery used in the fabrication of appliances.
Supplemental · Task 10517 · 08/2026 · Incumbent
Take patients' body or limb measurements for use in device construction.
Supplemental · Task 10516 · 08/2026 · Incumbent
Instruct patients in use of prosthetic or orthotic devices.
Supplemental · Task 10512 · 08/2026 · Incumbent
Fit appliances onto patients, and make any necessary adjustments.
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Source and practice material
Occupational context uses the O*NET® 31.0 Database from the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, under CC BY 4.0. View the occupation.
Skill Workbench selected and adapted the occupational information and added its own fictional cases, calculations, guidance and worksheets. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these additions. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.