Redesign of Impression Trays using Reverse Engineering and Finite Element Analysis
The reverse engineering technologies facilitate development of new or redesign of existing products, which has been presented in this paper on an example of dental impression trays redesign. There are different types of trays available today, in order to ensure proper retention, stability and support in the impression taking procedure. Disposable lower and upper trays have been used as the initial samples for 3D scanning, which was performed by the GOM Atos Compact Scan 8M optical scanner. The CAD models were build using Geomagic and SolidWorks, while the redesign consisted of introducing new perforations in order to allow the impression material to expand through the holes and so be held securely in place. Finite element analysis has been used to investigate the effect of introducing these design changes to structural rigidity. Due to the need to consult a prosthetist about the acceptability of the redesign, the models have been printed by the 3D printer Zortrax M200 Plus.