Integrated Dental Attachment Molding for SLM Stress and Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The selective laser melting technology used in additive manufacturing of dental attachments can cause thermal stress and deformation due to sudden heating and quenching, leading to accuracy and performance issues that are difficult to resolve with traditional post-processing methods.
Innovation Solution
A digital integrated molding method that designs and manufactures dental attachments and related parts as a whole using 3D design, data processing, and additive manufacturing, incorporating supports for printing and subsequent stress relief through annealing, to enhance precision and simplify the manufacturing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If selective laser melting technology is used for additive manufacturing of dental attachments, then manufacturing precision and complexity handling are improved, but thermal stress and deformation occur due to sudden heating and quenching
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by implementing a multi-stage temperature control process during selective laser melting, including preheating the substrate before deposition, controlling the laser power and scanning speed parameters, and implementing controlled cooling rates. These parameter adjustments reduce thermal gradients and minimize thermal stress and deformation while maintaining manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs preliminary action through preheating the substrate and build plate before additive manufacturing begins, and through optimizing the support structure design beforehand. The support structures are specifically designed to facilitate uniform heat distribution and controlled stress relief during the manufacturing process, preventing deformation before it occurs.
2Reliability
If traditional post-processing methods are used to address thermal stress, then stress relief may be achieved, but manufacturing time and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the potentially harmful rapid cooling process into a beneficial controlled stress relief process. By implementing controlled cooling rates and designing integrated support structures that facilitate uniform heat distribution, the patent transforms what would normally be a source of thermal stress into a mechanism for stress management, eliminating the need for separate post-processing stress relief operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the stress relief function into the additive manufacturing process itself through integrated support structure design and controlled cooling parameters. The support structures serve dual purposes: providing geometric support during building and facilitating uniform heat distribution for stress relief during cooling, combining multiple functions into a single integrated system.
3Stability of the object's composition
If supports are added for additive manufacturing, then structural stability during printing is improved, but removal becomes time-consuming and may affect attachment accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the extraction principle by designing support structures that can be easily separated from the attachment. The supports are strategically positioned and designed with specific geometries that allow for clean separation without affecting the attachment structure, enabling rapid removal while maintaining printing stability during the build process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent treats support structures as temporary, disposable elements that serve their purpose during manufacturing and are then removed. The supports are designed to be sacrificial - they provide necessary structural support during printing but are not intended to remain in the final product, enabling their removal without concern for affecting the attachment's functionality or accuracy.
4Adaptability or versatility
If traditional separate molding of attachment and inner-crown is used, then individual customization is possible, but positioning accuracy and relative alignment are difficult to ensure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the attachment and inner-crown into a single integrated component manufactured through additive manufacturing. This integration ensures precise positioning and alignment since both elements are created as one monolithic structure, eliminating the positioning errors that occur with separate molding and assembly. The customization capability is maintained through digital design and manufacturing processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical assembly process (separate molding, positioning, and joining of attachment and inner-crown) with a digital manufacturing process. The relative positions and alignments are defined in the digital model and directly realized through additive manufacturing, substituting mechanical positioning operations with digital precision control.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method significantly improves the accuracy and stability of dental attachments by integrating the molding process, reducing material waste, and shortening the manufacturing cycle while ensuring the attachment meets clinical requirements.
Implementation Method 1
The selective laser melting technology is the most widely used based on the laser melting of metal powder
Implementation Method 2
based on the laser melting of metal powder
Implementation Method 3
manufacturing metal parts with metallurgical bonding
Implementation Method 4
a stable and effective post processor is required to ensure the complete release of residual stress
Data Source
AI summary
A digital integrated molding method for dental attachments includes 3D design, aiming at acquiring 3D data of an attachment itself through 3D scanning of an attachment preform, carrying out modeling design directly on the basis of acquired data, adjusting corresponding positions of an inner-crown and an attachment, or a bridge and an attachment by design software, and directly designing the attachments of the inner-crown and the bridge into a whole; data processing, aiming at slicing the integrated inner-crown and attachment or bridge and attachment for additive manufacturing; and additive manufacturing, aiming at processing an integrated inner-crown, bridge or attachment. The molding method can greatly improve the molding accuracy of dental attachments, and ensure the relative accuracy of inner-crowns, bridges or attachments.