Methods and apparatus are disclosed for producing a filament assembly with a flat frame. A frame holder is mounted to a lathe and a filament applicator is to the tool holder of the lathe. The applicator is movable along the lathe axis while the frame is rotated so that filament is wound around flat frame in a series of parallel passes. A spool of filament is rotatably supported on the applicator. The filament is guided through a filament path, and a tension control device applies tension to the filament.

An apparatus and method for bending or shaping orthodontic archwires or other medical devices into a complex, patient individual shape is described. The apparatus comprises of two moveable, compact, manipulators with, in total, at least one revolute joint defining at least one rotation axes and at least one prismatic joints defining at least one translation axes. Gripping tools are provided on the manipulators.

A wire forming apparatus 1 comprises a rotary table 22 that is rotatably supported by a table body 21, a slide tool unit 100A that is attached to the rotary table 22 and supports a slide tool T1 capable of sliding toward a wire guide, and a tool slide mechanism 60 that is supported by the table body 21 and transmits a driving force for sliding the slide tool T1 to the slide tool unit 100A. The tool slide mechanism 60 has a single motive power transmission member 61 that is rotatably supported by the table body 21, and a driving force generated by a rotation of the motive power transmission member 61 is transmitted, in common, to a plurality of slide tools T1 attached to the rotary table 22.

An apparatus for handling bars includes a store provided with one or more containing elements, with a respective bundle or group of bars positioned in each. A feed station is located downstream of the store and configured to transfer the bars to a destination station. A removal device of the bars is associated with the feed station and is configured to remove the bars from at least one containing element of the store and transfer them onto the feed station. Movement means of the store, suitable to take at least one of said containing elements into correspondence with the removal device, are also included.

An apparatus and method for bending or shaping orthodontic archwires or other medical devices into a complex, patient individual shape is described. The apparatus comprises of two moveable, compact, manipulators with, in total, at least three revolute joints defining three rotation axes and at least three prismatic joints defining at least three translation axes. Gripping tools are provided on the manipulators. The two manipulators are arranged to allow a relative movement in six degrees of freedom. A reduced complexity embodiment is also described having only one or two revolute joints.

An orthodontic wire bending device includes a providing part, a bending unit and a cutting part. The providing part is configured to provide a wire. The bending unit is disposed at a front side of the providing part, and includes a fixing part and a bending part. The fixing part is configured to fix the wire. The bending part is configured to bend the wire fixed by the fixing part. The cutting part is configured to cut the wire bent by the bending part. The bending part includes a bending module, and the bending module is rotated along a circumferential direction or moves along a direction to make contact with at least one side of the wire for bending the wire.

A wiring machine includes a lever group and magnets. The lever group includes a plurality of lever arms which are spaced apart and a plurality of rotary shafts on each of which one lever arm is mounted correspondingly so as to facilitate the rotate rocking motion of the lever arms. One end of each lever arm is provided with a wire gripper and the other end is provided with an attraction head. The magnets are arranged in association with the plurality of attraction heads.

A wiring machine includes a lever group and magnets. The lever group includes a plurality of lever arms which are spaced apart and a plurality of rotary shafts on each of which one lever arm is mounted correspondingly so as to facilitate the rotate rocking motion of the lever arms. One end of each lever arm is provided with a wire gripper and the other end is provided with an attraction head. The magnets are arranged in association with the plurality of attraction heads.

A wire rod forming machine according to the present disclosure includes: a base plate including a vertical first basal surface on its front side; a quill projecting from the first basal surface; a wire rod guide hole penetrating through the quill; a wire rod feeding apparatus provided on a rear side of the base plate; a first XY table; an extending supporting part including a second basal surface perpendicular to the first basal surface; and a second XY table provided at the second basal surface of the extending supporting part. The first XY table includes a slide plate having a recessed part configured to receive the quill. The slide plate is provided with a plurality of apparatus fixing parts configured to fix a plurality of first tool shifting apparatuses arranged radially about the recessed part. The second XY table includes a second tool shifting apparatus.

A conveyer equipped with rotating discs rotatable around axes thereof relative to a mounting base. Each of the rotating discs has grooves in which rectangular wires are receivable. When an upstream and a downstream one of the rotating disc are arranged in a given angular relation to each other, one of the grooves of the upstream rotating disc is aligned with that of the downstream rotating disc to pass the rectangular wire from the upstream rotating disc to the downstream rotating disc. Upon such passing of the rectangular wire, the grooves of the upstream and downstream rotating discs hold or clamp all side surfaces of the rectangular wire, thereby ensuring the stability in retaining the rectangular wire when passed from one to another of the rotating discs, which enables the conveyer to carry the rectangular wires at high speeds.