Automated Marking Location Selection for Uneven Dental Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional marking systems are inadequate for objects with limited marking areas and uneven surfaces, particularly in industries like dental appliance manufacturing, where unique anatomy and complex structures complicate the placement of marks without distortion.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that determine suitable marking locations on objects by calculating surface area, height, and slope, and create a mold with offset areas to enable precise and distortion-free marking using laser or other marking devices, allowing for the placement of marks on optimal areas with minimal slope and maximum flatness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If traditional marking systems are used, then marking can be provided on large areas, but marking quality deteriorates on small and uneven surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The system evaluates specific local areas of the workpiece surface based on multiple criteria including surface flatness, area size, and location. It selects optimal local regions for marking rather than attempting to mark the entire surface, ensuring high marking quality on suitable areas while ignoring unsuitable regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameters for surface evaluation by calculating slope values, height deviations, and surface area metrics. It uses these calculated parameters to objectively determine which areas are suitable for marking, transforming subjective marking decisions into quantifiable parameter-based selections.
2Adaptability or versatility
If marking is placed on unique contour surfaces, then marking can be provided on complex geometries, but marking distortion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system identifies local areas with specific quality characteristics (flatness, slope, area) within complex geometries. By selecting only those local regions that meet the criteria, it maintains marking accuracy while still being able to handle complex overall geometries that contain suitable flat areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the complex workpiece surface into multiple smaller regions and evaluates each segment independently. This allows it to find suitable marking locations within complex geometries without being overwhelmed by the overall complexity, effectively breaking down the marking problem into manageable parts.
3Extent of automation
If automated marking location selection is implemented, then marking consistency improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-evaluation by automatically measuring surface properties, calculating slope and height parameters, and selecting optimal marking locations without human intervention. This automation improves consistency while the complexity is managed through algorithmic approaches rather than complex mechanical systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual marking location selection with computational algorithms that process surface data and automatically determine optimal marking positions. This substitution of mechanical/manual processes with digital computation achieves automation while keeping the physical system relatively simple.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and associated method for selecting or creating an area which meets meet a set of marking criteria, for example, corresponding to a minimum surface area; a maximum slope angle; and a minimum deviation from a specified height. A marking station is directed to mark the selected area that meets the marking criteria.