Feb.20, 2013

(Image: Beam Brush)

The Beam Brush is the first smart toothbrush, a manual brush that monitors your oral hygiene habits. It has a sensor embedded into it that maps brushing behavior and sends the data to an associated Android or iPhone app via Bluetooth. The company behind it, Beam Technologies, unveiled that they have been using 3D printer to make prototypes of the Beam Brush.

"We are one of the first consumer medical device companies to use 3D printers." co-founder Alex Fromeyer said.

The company owns both Makerbot Replicator and Replicator 2. The first prototype they made was a stand for toothbrush. With 3D printer they can change and update the design until they are satisfied. Then they send the design files to the mold maker to make the mold.

In addition, Makerbot is also used to make the bay that holds the shell of the brush while robot assembles it. With 3D printer, the team can print out prototypes with different plastic fiber to check which one suits the best.

Instead of sewing the ribbon that ribbon goes around the battery in the body of the brush, the team uses the 3D printer to create a jig to hold the ribbons.

In Beam Technologies, 3D printer is not only used for prototyping products, but also for making all the accessories being used in the office. For example, this 3D printed camera holder, made on the Replicator, is used to take product shots, and it works perfectly.

(Images credit: medcitynews)

The founders of Beam Technologies are all graduates of the University of Louisville. And this team of three builds prototypes, assembles the brush all in a three-room office in downtown Louisville. "We also built our own supply chain and we do packaging and fulfillment," Fromeyer said.

3D printing is helping many startups making prototypes. Beam Brush is one of the first medical device startups to use it. For startups, 3D printing is more than just an additional manufacturing process, it is an efficient, affordable way to produce prototypes and products, and it gives inventors extra degree of freedom to fullfil their dreams.

 

 

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Source: medcitynews

 

Posted in 3D Printing Applications

 

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