In order to make its hearing aid production system most effective and automatic, 3Shape offers ShellManager™, a software suite to integrate all system modules. The software package is essential to handle the computer-aided manufacturing process and the large amount of data generated.

ShellManager™ ensures seamless data exchange between all system modules. It also provides tools to organize and monitor the hearing aid production flow. Full interface with third-party 3D printers and milling machines is also included.

ShellManager™ takes the existing process and infrastructure into account to provide a solution that can be rapidly and effectively implemented by any hearing aid or earmold manufacturer.

Overview of the modules in the production process controlled and monitored by 3Shape's ShellManager™

ShellManager™ is organized around a central database, which controls and ensures a correct handling of the following tasks:

• Registration of orders and product configuration in an order form adapted to the manufacturer's ordering system. Alternatively, the order data can be imported directly from the manufacturer's ERP system
• Registration of all audiologist parameters and various test parameters
• Creation of unique production identification number for each hearing aid shell to ensure easy access, retrieval, identification and flow control
• Organization and monitoring of the production flow and status of all hearing aids in production
• 3D scanning of the ear impressions and automatic export of the completed 3D scanning files to the database
• Retrieval of correct 3D scanning files and configuration parameters (ventilation channel and shell thickness, electronics, faceplate and components references) for modeling and automatic import of the necessary 3D files into the modeling software
• 3D modeling of the hearing aid shell and correct database handling of product configuration parameters if components are changed during the modeling
• Retrieval and arrangement of 3D hearing aid models from database to perform 3D printing of one or more shells at the same time
• Automatic retrieval of 3D milling files from database to perform faceplate milling
• Automatic retrieval of correct electronics and components references for hearing aid mounting and registration of electronics serial number
• Automatic XML file creation and export of production information to back-end systems
• Call center module to retrieve status on individual hearing aids in the production process. The operator can quickly retrieve hearing aid status based on customers' requests
• The system is made up of a number of software modules operated from standard Windows™-based PCs