METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ORDER PROCESSING FOR DENTAL PROSTHESIS PART MANUFACTURE

Abstract

The invention relates to a server for sending and receiving data, in particular for an order control of production orders, wherein the server is adapted to establish a data connection with a plurality of order computers arranged distanced from the server at an orderer location and to receive an order data package containing geometric anatomy information, in particular about a digital dental impression of a patient and address information about the order computer, from each one of these order computers.

Claims

1. A server for sending and receiving data, in particular for an order control of production orders, wherein the server is adapted To establish a data connection with a plurality of order computers arranged at a distance from the server at an orderer location and to receive an order data package, which contains geometric anatomy information, in particular about a digital dental impression of a patient and address information about the order computer, from each of these order computers, To establish a data connection with a plurality of production planning computers distanced from the server at a production planning location and to send each of the received order data packages to one of the production planning computers and to receive from each one of those production planning computers production data packages that are geometric and production flow control information for the production of one or more medical products such as dental prostheses, other dental products, implants and/or medical prostheses and address information about a production device and have been created in dependence on order data packages, To establish a data connection with a plurality of production control computers, each located at a production location distanced from the server, and to receive from each of these production control computers and/or from each production device controlled by these production control computers a device data package which contains information about production devices controlled by these production control computers, wherein the production devices are preferably 3D printers, and to receive a status data package which contains information about materials to be processed with the respective production device and/or information about the operating status of the respective production device, To send the production data packages respectively to the production control computer that controls the production device specified in the address information about a production device in the production data package.

2. The server according to claim 1, wherein the server is adapted to send a status data package, which is associated with a particular production device, to a production planning computer, which has received an order data package for creating a production data package for production of the medical device, wherein, preferably, the order data package contains information about at least one material to be used and/or information about an indication.

3. (canceled)

4. The server according to claim 1, wherein the server is adapted to in dependence on a comparison of information contained in the status data package about a material stock volume available for the production device specified in the address information about a production device and information derivable from the production data package about a production volume required for production of the medical device with the production data, generate release data if the material stock volume is greater than or equal to the production volume, and to send the release data, for releasing and/or starting the production of the product with the production devices by means of information of the production data package, to the corresponding production control computer.

5. (canceled)

6. The server according to claim 1, wherein, the status data include an expiration date of a material, which is specified in the production data, to be processed held for the production device specified in the address information about a production device, and in that the server is arranged to Determine the time difference between the expiration date of the material to be processed and a planned production date for the production of the medical device, and, in dependence on the determined time difference, to release the production of the medical product to the respective production control computer if the expiration date is later than the planned production date, wherein preferably, if the server does not release the production of the medical product, an information about the expiration of the expiration date of the material to be processed is sent to the respective production control computer of the production device and/or to the respective order computer.

7. The server according to claim 1, wherein, the status data includes stock information about a quantity in stock of a material to be processed at the production location of the production device for the production device defined in the address information, and the server is adapted to determine the difference between the stock data and a quantity of the material to be processed required for the production of the medical product, and in dependence on the difference to release the production of the medical product if the stock data results in a quantity in stock that is greater than or equal to the required quantity, wherein preferably, if the server does not release the production of the medical product, an information about the required quantity of the material to be processed is sent to the respective production control computer of the production device and/or to the respective order computer.

8. The server according to claim 7, wherein the device data package or the production data package includes a production principle information, which characterizes a specific additive manufacturing principle, wherein this additive manufacturing principle is preferably selected from the list: Digital Light Processing and Stereolithography with build-up of the product below the substrate plate, Digital Light Processing and Stereolithography with build-up of the product above the substrate plate, Multijet and Fused Deposition Modeling, and Selective Laser Melting, the server is adapted to calculate the quantity of the material to be processed required for the production of the medical product, in that a predetermined calculation algorithm associated with the production principle information is selected on the basis of the production principle information, from the production data package, a geometric quantity of the product relevant to the production principle characterized by the production principle information for the required quantity of the material to be processed, which is preferably selected from the list: Product volume, maximum product height above a substrate plate and auxiliary construction volume is calculated, in dependence on the production principle information furthermore from the production data package an information characterizing the installation space is taken which is preferably selected from the list: installation container cross-sectional area and substrate plate area, to calculate the required quantity of material to be processed by means of inserting the relevant geometric quantity and, if applicable, the information characterizing the installation space into the associated calculation algorithm.

9. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

11. The Server according to claim 1, wherein the server is adapted to calculate the quantity of a material to be processed that is in stock in a production device at a certain point in time lying in the future, in particular after a specific number of production orders, in dependence on the quantity of a material to be processed that is in stock in a production device and the quantity of a material to be processed that is required for a specific number of production orders, and, in dependence on the quantity of a material to be processed in stock at a certain point in time in the future and the quantity of the material to be processed required for a production order, release a production of the medical product for the certain point in time lying in the future, if the quantity in stock is greater than or equal to the quantity required, wherein preferably, if the server does not release the production of the medical product, an information is sent to the respective production control computer of the production device.

12. The server according to claim 11, wherein the server is adapted to calculate the quantity of a material to be processed that is in stock in a production device at a certain point in time lying in the future, in particular after a certain number of production orders, in dependence on the maximum height of a, in particular the highest, medical product to be produced on a building platform and of a cross-section of an installation space defined in the device data of the production device.

13. The server according to claim 1, wherein the order data package contains information about a treatment date related to a specific medical product described in the production data package, on which a treatment of the patient with the medical product is planned, and the server is adapted to determine the time difference between the treatment date and a production date for the production of the medical product, and, in dependence on this specific time difference, release the production of the medical product to the respective production control computer if the planned production date lies before the treatment date, and preferably, if the planned production date is after the treatment date, to change the planned production date so that the planned production date lies before the treatment date, in particular by changing the sequence of production orders.

14. The server according to claim 1, wherein the order data package contains information about a treatment date on which a treatment of the patient is planned, and the server is adapted to combine a plurality of production data packages to form a production collection data package, wherein preferably a plurality of production data packages are selected and combined from the totality of production data packages stored on the server at a decision time, wherein the selection is made on the basis of the time duration between the decision time and a planned production date and those production data packages being selected, whose duration is the shortest or whose time duration does not exceed a predetermined lead time, preferably 7 days, particularly preferably 3 days and in particular 2 days.

15. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

18. A production device, in particular designed as a 3D printer, for production of one or more medical products such as dental prostheses, other dental products, wherein the production device comprises an interface and a control unit connected to the interface, which are adapted to be connected to a server according to any one of the preceding claims via a communication system, in order to transmit data between the production device and the server and to control a production on the production device from these data, wherein preferably a changing unit, which is connected to the production device and is adapted to move the medical product out of a working space of the production device after completion of the production.

19. (canceled)

20. The production device according to claim 18, comprising a feeding unit connected to the production device and adapted to feed at least one material to be processed to a working space of the production device, wherein the feeding unit is preferably adapted to feed materials with the same physical and/or chemical properties or materials with different physical and/or chemical properties to the working space.

21. A method for controlling production orders, comprising the steps: a) Establishing a data connection between a server and an order computer located distanced from the server at an orderer location; b) Sending an order data package, which contains geometric anatomical information of a patient, in particular about a digital dental impression of the patient and address information about the order computer, from the order computer to the server; c) Establishing a data connection between the server and a production planning computer located distanced from the server at a production planning location; d) Sending the received order data package from the server to the production planning computer; e) Sending a production data package, which contains geometric and production flow controlling information for the production of one or more medical products such as dental prostheses, other dental products, implants and/or medical prostheses and address information about a production device and was created in dependence on the order data package, from the production planning computer to the server; f) Establishing a data connection between a server and a production control computer located at a production location distanced from the server; g) Sending a device data package, which contains information about a production device controlled by the production control computer, wherein the production device is preferably a 3D printer, and a status data package, which contains information about material to be processed with the production device and/or information about the operating status of the production device, from the production control computer and/or from the production device controlled by the production control computer to the server; h) Sending the production data package to the production control computer, which controls the production device that is specified in the address information about a production device in the production data package.

22. The method according to claim 21, comprising: i) Production of the medical product with the production device, and j) sending a status data package, which is associated with the production device, to the production planning computer, which has received an order data package for creating of a production data package for production of the medical device.

23. (canceled)

24. (canceled)

25. A computer program comprising non-transitory instructions that when run on a computer, carry out method steps according to claim 21, in particular, a. if the computer program runs on a server, to execute the method steps executed by the server, or b. if the computer program runs on an order computer, to execute the method steps executed by the order computer, or c. if the computer program runs on a production planning computer, to execute the method steps executed by the production planning computer, or d. if the computer program runs on a production planning computer, to execute the method steps executed by the production planning computer.

26. A server for sending and receiving data, in particular for an order control of production orders, wherein the server contains a database in which data records are stored, which comprise A device information with a production device identification about a production device controlled by the production computer; and Material unit information about one or more material units which can be used in the production device with A material unit identification, and an expiration date of the material unit, and/or an existing quantity of the material in the material unit; and the server is adapted to establish data connections with a plurality of data preparation computers arranged distanced from the server and to receive from a data connection with a data preparation computer order planning data for the production of one or more products, in particular medical products such as dental prostheses, other dental products, implants and/or medical prostheses, which contain a production device identification, which identifies a production device that is intended for production of the one or more products; and a material identification, which determines a material that is intended for production of the product, and, if applicable, furthermore a planned production date of the product and/or the required quantity of the material needed for production of the product, establish data connections with a plurality of production computers located distanced from the server and receive production order data from a data connection with a production computer that contain Identify an order identification via a production order to be controlled by the production computer on a production device, A production device identification via a production device controlled by the production computer for this production order, and A material unit identification via a material unit, which is assigned to the production device controlled by the production computer for the production order and which contains a material to be processed, preferably comprising a material identification number, wherein preferably the material unit, which is intended for processing in the production device, is arranged in each case in the production device; performing a comparison between the order planning data and the data record from the database assigned to the production device and/or the material unit and, in dependence on this comparison, generating an order release signal and send it to the order planning computer and/or between the production order data and the data record from the database assigned to the production device and/or the material unit and, in dependence on this comparison, generating a production release signal and sending it to the production computer.

27. (canceled)

28. (canceled)

29. (canceled)

30. (canceled)

31. (canceled)

32. (canceled)

33. A production device, in particular designed as a 3D printer, for production of one or more products, in particular medical products such as dental prostheses, other dental products, implants and/or medical prostheses, wherein the production device comprises a production computer or is connected to a production computer for data transmission, and the production computer is connected to a server according to claim 26 via a communication system and is adapted to transmit data between the production device and the server, in particular to transmit to the server An order identification that identifies a production order to be controlled by the production computer on a production device, A production device identification that identifies a production device controlled by the production computer for this production order, and/or A material unit identification, which is a material which is assigned to the production device controlled by the production computer for the production order and which contains a material to be processed, preferably comprising a material identification number.

34. The production device according to claim 33, wherein the production computer is adapted to receive a decryption code from the server, decrypt an encrypted production order using the decryption code, and control a production on the production device using the decrypted data of the production order, and/or transmit updated material unit information to the server after start, after end or after stop.

35. The method for production control of a production device, comprising: a) Establishing a data connection between a server and a data preparation computer located distanced from the server; b) Sending of order planning data that contain a production device identification, which determines a production device intended for production of one or more products, in particular medical products such as dental prostheses, other dental products, implants and/or medical prostheses, and a material identification, which determines a material intended for production of the product, and, if applicable, furthermore a planned production date of the product and the required quantity of the material that is needed for the production of the product, from the data preparation computer to the server; c) Establishing a data connection between the server and a production computer located distanced from the server; d) Sending of production order data that contain An order identification via a production order to be controlled by the production computer on a production device identify, A production device identification via a production device controlled by the production computer for this production order, as well as A material unit identification via a material unit, which is assigned to the production device controlled by the production computer for the production order and which contains a material to be processed, preferably comprising a material identification number, wherein preferably the material units, which are intended for processing in the production device, from the production computer to the server; Comparing the order planning data with a data record assigned to the production device and/or the material from a database stored on the server and, in dependence on this comparison, generating an order release signal and sending it to the order planning computer and/or Comparing the production order data with a data record assigned to the production device and/or the material unit from the database and in dependence on this comparison, generating a production release signal and sending it to the production computer.

36. (canceled)

37. (canceled)

38. (canceled)

39. (canceled)

40. A computer program product comprising non-transitory instructions that, when run on a computer, perform method steps according to claim 35, in particular, a. if the computer program runs on a server, to execute the method steps executed by the server, or b. if the computer program runs on a data preparation computer, to execute the method steps executed by the data preparation computer, or c. if the computer program runs on a production computer, to execute the method steps executed by the production computer.

Description

[0102] Preferred embodiments are explained by way of example with reference to the accompanying figures. It show:

[0103] FIG. 1. a schematic representation of a first embodiment of a server for sending and receiving data for order control of production orders;

[0104] FIG. 2: a schematic diagram of a second embodiment of a server for sending and receiving data for order control of production orders.

[0105] FIG. 1 shows a server 20 for sending and receiving data for order control of production orders. In a first step, an orderer creates a digital impression of a patient using an intraoral scanner. An order computer 10 of the orderer is located at an orderer location. The order computer 10 is connected to the server 20 via a data connection 12. The order computer 10 sends order data packages via the data connection 12, each package containing geometric information about the patient's digital impression and address information about the order computer. Further, the data may include information about material selection and about patient indication. The server 20 receives this data from the order computer 10.

[0106] A dental laboratory with a dental laboratory computer 30 is located at a dental laboratory location different from the orderer location. Between the dental laboratory computer 30 and the server 20 also a data connection 23 exists. The server 20 sends the order data packages received from the order computer 10 to the dental laboratory computer 30. Subsequently, depending on the order data, a virtual design of the dental prosthesis and/or other dental products takes place in the dental laboratory. These data are processed within the dental laboratory. Thereby, a production data package is created, wherein the production data package contains geometric information and information controlling the production sequence for the production of dental prostheses and/or other dental products and address information about a production device on which the production is to take place. The production data package is then sent from the dental laboratory computer 30 to the server 20 via a data connection 32. The server 20 continuously or at the time of creation of the production data package sends information about the status of the production device to be used for the production. These information include for example an indication of whether the production device is ready for use and, if not, when it will be ready for use again. Also included in the information is the status of the materials to be used for production, in particular the quantity of material present in the material to be used and the shelf life of the material to be used.

[0107] At a production location a production control computer 40 is located. This production control computer 40 is connected to the server 20 via a data connection 42a, b. The server 20 sends the production data package received from the dental laboratory computer 30 to the production control computer 40. In this example, the production location is located in a dental practice. Also at the production location is a production device 50 that can exchange data with the production control computer 40 via a data connection 45a,b. The production control computer 40 sends an information for starting the production to the production device 50. The production device 50 continuously sends production device status information to the production control computer via a data connection 45b, which in turn can transmit this status data to the server 20 via a data connection 42b so that the server has information about the current status of the production device. This allows the server 20 to send the status information of the production device 50 to the dental laboratory computer 30. The data connection 42a, b and 45a, b may be integrally designed as bidirectional data line.

[0108] In principle, the production control computer can be integrated into the production device so that the data connection 45a,b external to the production device is omitted and the production device including the production control computer integrated therein is connected directly to the server.

[0109] FIG. 2 shows a server 120 for sending and receiving data for order control of production orders. Here, a database is present on the server 120, wherein information about production devices and information about material units intended for processing in the production devices are stored. An orderer 100 first generates scan data reflecting the actual situation at the patient. The scan data may be generated using an intraoral scanner or by scanning an impression or a model. Based on this scan data, the dental prosthesis or other dental product is created digitally, for example with a CAD program, and data records are generated from it. These data records are sent via a data connection 101 from the orderer 100 to a data preparation computer 110. The data preparation computer determines the production device with which the production is to take place and determines the material volume required. The data preparation computer 110 sends, via a data connection 111 to the server 120, order data that include information about the production device that is to be used for the production, about the material that is to be used for production, about the material volume that is required for production, and about a production number that is determined for that production.

[0110] The server checks the information received from the data preparation computer 110. In particular, the server checks whether the specified production device is entered in the database and whether the specified material may be used on this production device. This is done by matching the received order data with the data stored in the database. If the check of the server is positive, the server sends an encryption code to the data preparation computer via a data connection 121 as order release signal.

[0111] A production order encrypted with the encryption code is then sent from the data preparation computer 110 to a production computer 130 via a data connection 112, but may also for example be transmitted manually by means of a data carrier between the data preparation computer and the production computer. The production computer 130 is directly connected to the production device or integrated therein. The production order is processed on the production computer 130. The production computer 130 sends the following information to the server 120 via a data connection 131: An identification number (in form of a serial number) of the production device, a production number and a material code from an RFID chip as material unit identification. For the material code, information about the material, such as material name, batch, expiration date, existing material quantity, is stored in the database on the server. With this material code a check by the server is conducted whether the production can be started. If this is the case, i.e. the expiration date has not yet passed and there is enough material in the production device, a password is sent by the server 120 as a decryption code to the production computer 130 via a data connection 122. With this password the encrypted production order can then be decrypted. The transmission of the password thus represents the production release signal. Then the production order or production can then be executed. The entry in the database on the server for the material quantity present in this material unit is adjusted in the database according to the material quantity used in this production. By this step in the database and thus on the server always the current material quantity is saved.

[0112] If the production is stopped, the production computer 130 sends information about the stop of the production to the server 120 via a data connection 132 between the server 120 and the production computer 130. Thereby the identification number (in form of a serial number) of the production device, the production number, the material code and the quantity of material used are sent from the production computer 130 to the server 120. In the database located on the server the values, in particular the value of the quantity of material still available, can then be updated.