Strategy: Implement AI-Powered Software for Production Tasks

Our orthodontic lab is 100% digital, so every STL file we receive has to be processed, including removing the brackets and labeling the models. I had five or six technicians working on these tedious tasks as well as nesting and orienting the files and building the print job; the process was inefficient, cases were getting backlogged and other technicians were often waiting for work.

Three years ago, we started using CADflow and Oqton, AI-powered software packages that automate these processes. The incoming STL files are uploaded to CADflow, which uses AI to clean up the files, remove brackets and label the models. The model is then printed (we use this as reference when the appliance is laser welded and finished) and sent to the designers. After the design process, the files are uploaded to Oqton software which automatically orients the files on the build plate, making sure they’re turned in the right direction and the support structures are in the correct...