Align Technology, Inc. (20240227300). METHODS FOR GENERATING SUPPORT STRUCTURES FOR ADDITIVELY MANUFACTURED OBJECTS simplified abstract

METHODS FOR GENERATING SUPPORT STRUCTURES FOR ADDITIVELY MANUFACTURED OBJECTS

Organization Name

Align Technology, Inc.

Inventor(s)

Viswanath Meenakshisundaram of Santa Clara CA (US)

Yuxiang Wang of Newark CA (US)

Kangning Su of Pullman WA (US)

Shipin Qin of San Jose CA (US)

Siyi Liu of Plano TX (US)

Chang Xu of Milpitas CA (US)

Sudharshan Anandan of Sunnyvale CA (US)

Xirui Peng of Apex NC (US)

METHODS FOR GENERATING SUPPORT STRUCTURES FOR ADDITIVELY MANUFACTURED OBJECTS - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 20240227300 titled 'METHODS FOR GENERATING SUPPORT STRUCTURES FOR ADDITIVELY MANUFACTURED OBJECTS

The abstract describes methods and systems for generating support structures for additively manufactured objects, specifically dental appliances in this case.

• Utilizes a machine learning model to generate support structure arrangements for dental appliances during the additive manufacturing process.
• Training data set includes appliance data, support structure data, and outcome data to optimize the support structure generation process.
• Focuses on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the additive manufacturing process for dental appliances.

Potential Applications: - Streamlining the production of dental appliances through automated support structure generation. - Enhancing the accuracy and quality of additively manufactured dental appliances. - Reducing material waste and production time in the dental industry.

Problems Solved: - Addressing the need for efficient support structure generation in additive manufacturing processes. - Improving the overall workflow and outcomes of producing dental appliances using additive manufacturing technology.

Benefits: - Increased precision and consistency in the manufacturing of dental appliances. - Cost-effective production process with reduced material waste. - Enhanced patient experience through better fitting and functioning dental appliances.

Commercial Applications: Title: Automated Support Structure Generation for Additively Manufactured Dental Appliances This technology can revolutionize the dental industry by optimizing the production of custom dental appliances through advanced support structure generation. The market implications include increased efficiency, cost savings, and improved patient outcomes.

Questions about Automated Support Structure Generation for Additively Manufactured Dental Appliances: 1. How does the use of machine learning models improve the support structure generation process for dental appliances? Machine learning models analyze vast amounts of data to optimize support structure arrangements for dental appliances, leading to more efficient and effective additive manufacturing processes.

2. What are the potential long-term benefits of implementing automated support structure generation in the dental industry? Automated support structure generation can lead to consistent quality, reduced production costs, and enhanced patient satisfaction over time.

Original Abstract Submitted

methods and systems for generating support structures for additively manufactured objects are described herein. in some embodiments, a method includes receiving a digital representation of a dental appliance configured to implement a treatment stage of a treatment plan for a patient's teeth. the method can include generating a support structure arrangement configured to support the dental appliance during an additive manufacturing process. the support structure arrangement can be generated using a machine learning model. the machine learning model can be trained on a training data set including appliance data representing geometries of a plurality of dental appliances, support structure data representing geometries of a plurality of support structure arrangements, and outcome data representing outcomes of the additive manufacturing process for the plurality of dental appliances with the respective support structure arrangements.