Radiation Curable Composition for Transparent Elastomeric 3D Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current additive manufacturing techniques, particularly stereolithographic processes, face challenges in producing transparent elastomeric 3D articles with high surface resolution and ease of removal from other dental or orthodontic materials, and lack efficient methods for inspecting and controlling the production of clear positioning trays during the 3D printing process.
Innovation Solution
A radiation curable composition comprising (meth)acrylate components without urethane moieties, combined with red, orange, or yellow dyes and a blue dye, which allows for improved printing accuracy and transparency, enabling the production of clear positioning trays with high detail resolution and easy removal from other materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional heat curable silicone is used to manufacture positioning trays, then the material provides good elastomeric properties and transparency, but the manufacturing process is time-consuming and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional heat curing process with a radiation curable system that uses photoinitiators to trigger polymerization through light exposure. This substitution of the curing mechanism enables rapid manufacturing while maintaining the desired elastomeric properties and transparency of the positioning tray material.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters by incorporating specific photoinitiators (such as camphorquinone) and radiation-curable monomers into the silicone base material. These parameter changes allow the material to be cured rapidly through radiation exposure, significantly reducing manufacturing time while preserving the required material properties.
2Productivity
If radiation curable compositions are used for 3D printing, then manufacturing speed improves, but achieving high surface resolution and transparency becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent carefully adjusts the molecular weight and functional group composition of the radiation-curable monomers to optimize both the curing speed and the final material properties. By selecting monomers with appropriate molecular weights and functional groups, the composition achieves rapid radiation curing while maintaining high surface resolution and transparency in the printed positioning tray.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite radiation-curable composition that combines silicone base material with specific photoinitiators and radiation-curable monomers. This composite formulation enables the material to be processed by radiation curing for high productivity while simultaneously achieving the required surface resolution and optical transparency through the synergistic interaction of its components.
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If dyes are added to the radiation curable composition for inspection purposes, then production monitoring improves, but transparency of the final product deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different properties to different parts of the material system: the bulk material maintains transparency for its final function, while trace amounts of dye are incorporated specifically for production monitoring. This local differentiation of properties allows the material to serve dual purposes - being inspectable during manufacturing while remaining transparent in the final product.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes color-changing properties of specific dyes that allow production inspection during the manufacturing process, while the concentration and type of dye are controlled to minimize impact on the final transparency. The dye enables visual monitoring of the 3D printing process, and the cured product maintains sufficient transparency for its orthodontic application.
4Manufacturing precision
If the positioning tray material has high transparency for light curing of adhesives, then dental adhesive curing is enabled, but the material may stick to other dental materials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts the chemical composition parameters of the radiation-curable silicone, specifically the molecular weight and functional group content, to optimize the balance between transparency and release properties. By carefully controlling these parameters, the material achieves sufficient light transmission for adhesive curing while maintaining adequate surface characteristics for easy removal from dental brackets and other materials.
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
The composition achieves transparent, elastomeric 3D articles with good detail resolution and ease of removal, suitable for orthodontic applications, and allows for light-curing of dental adhesives through the transparent article, enhancing the manufacturing efficiency and accuracy of clear positioning trays.
Implementation Method 1
The composition is radiation curable with radiation having a wavelength in the range of 350 to 420 nm
Implementation Method 2
showing an absorption band in a wave length range from 350 to 420 nm
Implementation Method 3
a red, orange or yellow dye showing an absorption band in a wave length range from 420 to 500 nm
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a radiation curable composition for additive-manufacturing processes, the composition comprising (meth)acrylate component(s) not comprising an urethane moiety having a molecular weight Mw of at least 1,000 as Component A1, photo initiator as Component B, red, yellow or orange dye or combination thereof as Component C, blue dye having a light absorption band in the range of 350 to 420 nm as Component D, and optionally stabilizer as Component E. The invention further relates to a process of producing an elastomeric 3-dim article from the radiation curable composition in an additive-manufacturing process and the obtained elastomeric 3-dim article.