3D Orthodontic Wire Bending Robot for Lingual Torque Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wire bending equipment for lingual orthodontics lacks the necessary degree of freedom and precision to accurately adapt orthodontic wires to the complex contours of teeth, particularly in small and irregular inner dental areas, and often requires large workspaces and complex mechanisms, limiting its effectiveness and usability.
Innovation Solution
A novel wire bender robot that allows movement of the bending head in X, Y, and Z axes, enabling precise 3D bending with torque adjustments, and includes a wireless communication port for remote operation, allowing for precise adaptation to tooth contours and operation in small spaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If wire is molded by hand on a plaster mold, then the arch can be formed with some adaptability to tooth contours, but the process requires significant waiting time for mold curing and does not provide sufficient pressure for correct treatment of dental deviations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical plaster molding system with an automated robotic bending system. The robot uses programmable mechanical arms with bending tools to form the wire according to digital tooth contour data, eliminating the need for physical plaster molds and their associated curing wait times while maintaining or improving precision through computer-controlled movements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a digital copy or model of the patient's tooth contours using scanning technology. This digital model is then used to guide the robotic bending process, allowing the wire to be formed precisely to match the tooth shapes without requiring physical plaster molds, thus eliminating curing time while preserving adaptability.
2Manufacturing precision
If automated bending equipment with two mobile manipulators is used, then three-plane bending control is achieved, but the proximity of the heads limits the number of bends and prevents U-shaped arch structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the bending process into multiple sequential operations using a single robotic manipulator. Instead of relying on two simultaneous manipulators that interfere with each other, the system performs bends one after another along the wire path, allowing the creation of U-shaped arches and sharp direction changes without head proximity limitations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extends the working space by utilizing the full three-dimensional capability of the robotic manipulator. The arm can move freely in X, Y, and Z dimensions, positioning the bending tool at various locations along the wire to create complex shapes including U-shaped arches, overcoming the spatial constraints of fixed dual-manipulator systems.
3Productivity
If bending equipment with a fixed work plane is used, then high-speed bending is achieved, but large-format pieces or 180° bends cannot be manufactured due to collision with the equipment base
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic robotic manipulator system where the work plane is not fixed but can be repositioned throughout the three-dimensional workspace. The robotic arm dynamically adjusts its position and orientation to accommodate large-format pieces and 180° bends, preventing collisions with the equipment base while maintaining high-speed bending capability through optimized motion paths.
4Manufacturing precision
If equipment with articulated arms is used, then complex three-dimensional bending is achieved, but the complexity of the equipment increases and causes misalignment errors and greater wear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential bending function from complex articulated arm systems with multiple transmission mechanisms. By using a simplified robotic manipulator design that focuses on achieving the necessary three-dimensional positioning, the system reduces mechanical complexity, minimizes sources of misalignment error, and decreases wear while maintaining the capability to perform complex bends.
Data Source
AI summary
An orthodontic wire bender robot to be used in the manufacture of orthodontic prostheses, having a cartesian type displacement frame that allows moving the bending head of the equipment along the X, Y and Z-axes, in order to enable the robot to execute bends by torque, performing horizontal, vertical and sagittal compensations so that the shaped orthodontic wire presents an incline on its faces at certain angle and segment in order to execute frontal rotation stresses.