ShellDesigner QC

To complete its digital hearing aid production system, 3Shape offers ShellDesigner QC^TM, a fast and accurate tool for the verification and quality control of hearing aids shells and earmolds. By comparing two 3D models, the software automatically generates graphical deviations overviews and statistical reports.

ShellDesigner QC^TM offers new opportunities for instant and comprehensive analysis and verification of hearing aid shells. It is an essential tool for any producer using 3Shape's digital hearing aid manufacturing system to control that quality remains at high and consistent levels. ShellDesigner QC^TM is also a very useful tool to evaluate the quality of other shell production methods.

ShellDesigner QC^TM is a specialized version of 3Shape QC^TM package for rapid inspection and change analysis. As every solution provided by 3Shape, it is very easy to use and requires a minimum of training for anyone with basic computer literacy.

Continuous deviation map of two hearing aid shells

Deviations displayed as unifom color bands

Product highlights

• Intuitive interface tailored for hearing aid quality control
• Automatic and fully customizable alignment of the 3D models
• Accurate verification of hearing aid shell quality (deviations down to 0.01mm can be shown). Deviations can be displayed as continuous areas or uniform color bands, and the scale of the deviation report can be changed with a mouse click
• Automated generation of statistical adn graphical reports based on customizable templates

Examples of applications

With ShellDesigner QC^TM, it is possible to pinpoint where the shell doesn't fit the user's ear or ear canal by comparing the 3D shell with its original ear impression. It is also possible to find out where problems might have occurred in the production process (impression taking, scanning, modeling or printing).

Once this rapid analysis has been performed, correction of the potential errors is straightforward using 3Shape's tools.

The main applications of ShellDesigner QC^TM for hearing aid shells are:

• Quality control of 3D printing hardware - compare the original 3D model of the shell with a 3D scan of the printed shell
• Fit analysis of computer-modeled shells - compare the original 3D model of the ear impression with a 3D scan of the printed shell
• Fit analysis of manually manufactured shells - compare the 3D model of the ear impression with a 3D scanned handmade shell
• Change analysis - compare two ear impressions of the same person taken at different dates