Removable Build Platforms for Dental Aligner Tracking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing aligner manufacturing systems face challenges in reliably tracking and marking identifying information, particularly when producing multiple aligners for multiple patients in an automated process, leading to potential errors in packaging and distribution.

Innovation Solution

An aligner fabrication system that uses a build assembly of removably coupled individual platforms, each with a unique identification entity, allowing for end-to-end tracking and identification of dental molds, where design data is linked to the platform and transferred to the aligner via laser marking, eliminating the need for placing information on fragile mold materials.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If identifying information is attached directly to dental molds, then tracking capability is enabled, but the identifying information is vulnerable to damage and loss during handling and processing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetracking reliabilityVSAvoiddamage to identifying information

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system separates the identifying information from the dental mold by introducing a distinct build platform that carries the identification entity. The mold is segmented from the platform, allowing the identification to remain on the durable platform while the mold is processed separately, thus protecting the identifying information from damage during mold handling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The build platform serves as an intermediary carrier between the identifying information and the dental mold. The identification entity is attached to the platform rather than directly to the mold, creating a protective intermediary layer that shields the identifying information from harmful factors during subsequent processing steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If identifying information is placed on molds, then tracking is possible, but the information may be misplaced or lost during automated processing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveidentifying information lossVSAvoidhandling complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges the build platform with the identification entity into a single integrated unit. This combination ensures that the identifying information travels with the platform throughout the entire automated process, eliminating the risk of information loss and reducing handling complexity by treating the platform-identification pair as one cohesive element.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The identification entity is attached to the build platform before the dental mold is created and transferred. This preliminary attachment ensures that tracking capability is established in advance, preventing any subsequent loss of identifying information during mold processing and automated handling operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If multiple molds are produced on a single build platform, then productivity increases, but tracking and identification reliability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemold production rateVSAvoididentification accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The build assembly is segmented into multiple individual build platforms, each capable of independently carrying a dental mold and its associated identification entity. This segmentation allows each mold-platform pair to be tracked separately with high precision, while the modular design maintains overall system productivity by enabling parallel processing of multiple platforms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system transitions from a single large build platform to multiple smaller individual platforms arranged in a multi-dimensional configuration. This dimensional change allows for better spatial organization of identification entities, improving tracking accuracy while maintaining or increasing overall production capacity through parallel mold fabrication on multiple platforms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 system ensures accurate and reliable tracking of aligners, improving the efficiency of the manufacturing process by preventing misplacement and damage to identifying information, allowing for the reuse of build platforms and efficient recycling of molds.

Implementation Method 1

design data is linked to the platform and transferred to the aligner via laser marking

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLaser marking: Laser Ablation

Data Source

PatentUS10806546B2Systems and methods of identifying and tracking dental molds in automated aligner fabrication systems

Publication Date: 2020.10.20 ORMCO CORP

AI summary

An aligner fabrication system combines design data and material to form a plurality of dental molds with which a plurality of aligners are formed. The aligner fabrication system includes a build assembly that defines a build surface on which the dental molds are formed. The build assembly is constructed of a plurality of individual build platforms that are removably coupled together. Each individual build platform is associated with an identification entity. The dental molds are formed on the build surface. One dental mold is formed on one individual build platform. The design data associated with the one dental mold is linkable to the identification entity on the one individual build platform.