Luis Romero

Rapid prototyping model for the manufacturing by thermoforming of occlusal splints

Purpose – This paper aims to present an optimal prototyping technology for the manufacture of occlusal splints. Design/methodology/approach – To carry out this study, a comparative technique was used to analyze models obtained by different prototyping techniques. Subsequently, further tests were carried out with respect to the manufacturing of splints by means of thermoforming in a vacuum. This involved an analysis of the most important variables such as prototype material, geometric accuracy, surface finish and costs. Findings – It was found that there is a group of prototyping technologies that are suitable for the manufacture of the models used in the thermoforming of correction splints, the most appropriate technologies being based on ink jet printing (IJP-Objet), ultraviolet photo polymerization and fused deposition modelling due to the fact that they offer an optimal relationship between the cost and the quality of the model required for thermoforming. Practical implications – The application of rap...

New Design for Rapid Prototyping of Digital Master Casts for Multiple Dental Implant Restorations

Aim This study proposes the replacement of all the physical devices used in the manufacturing of conventional prostheses through the use of digital tools, such as 3D scanners, CAD design software, 3D implants files, rapid prototyping machines or reverse engineering software, in order to develop laboratory work models from which to finish coatings for dental prostheses. Different types of dental prosthetic structures are used, which were adjusted by a non-rotatory threaded fixing system. Method From a digital process, the relative positions of dental implants, soft tissue and adjacent teeth of edentulous or partially edentulous patients has been captured, and a maser working model which accurately replicates data relating to the patients oral cavity has been through treatment of three-dimensional digital data. Results Compared with the conventional master cast, the results show a significant cost savings in attachments, as well as an increase in the quality of reproduction and accuracy of the master cast, with the consequent reduction in the number of patient consultation visits. The combination of software and hardware three-dimensional tools allows the optimization of the planning of dental implant-supported rehabilitations protocol, improving the predictability of clinical treatments and the production cost savings of master casts for restorations upon implants.

An optimization design proposal of automated guided vehicles for mixed type transportation in hospital environments

Aim The aim of this paper is to present an optimization proposal in the automated guided vehicles design used in hospital logistics, as well as to analyze the impact of its implementation in a real environment. Method This proposal is based on the design of those elements that would allow the vehicles to deliver an extra cart by the towing method. So, the proposal intention is to improve the productivity and the performance of the current vehicles by using a transportation method of combined carts. Results The study has been developed following concurrent engineering premises from three different viewpoints. First, the sequence of operations has been described, and second, a proposal of design of the equipment has been undertaken. Finally, the impact of the proposal has been analyzed according to real data from the Hospital Universitario Rio Hortega in Valladolid (Spain). In this particular case, by the implementation of the analyzed proposal in the hospital a reduction of over 35% of the current time of use can be achieved. This result may allow adding new tasks to the vehicles, and according to this, both a new kind of vehicle and a specific module can be developed in order to get a better performance.

Location of Bioelectricity Plants in the Madrid Community Based on Triticale Crop: A Multicriteria Methodology

This paper presents a work whose objective is, first, to quantify the potential of the triticale biomass existing in each of the agricultural regions in the Madrid Community through a crop simulation model based on regression techniques and multiple correlation. Second, a methodology for defining which area has the best conditions for the installation of electricity plants from biomass has been described and applied. The study used a methodology based on compromise programming in a discrete multicriteria decision method (MDM) context. To make a ranking, the following criteria were taken into account: biomass potential, electric power infrastructure, road networks, protected spaces, and urban nuclei surfaces. The results indicate that, in the case of the Madrid Community, the Campina region is the most suitable for setting up plants powered by biomass. A minimum of 17,339.9 tons of triticale will be needed to satisfy the requirements of a 2.2 MW power plant. The minimum range of action for obtaining the biomass necessary in Campina region would be 6.6 km around the municipality of Algete, based on Geographic Information Systems. The total biomass which could be made available in considering this range in this region would be 18,430.68 t.

Impresión 3D de maquetas y prototipos en arquitectura y construcción

La fabricacion de maquetas y prototipos en el ambito de la arquitectura y la construccion ha tenido, y tiene todavia, una componente artesanal muy importante. El desarrollo de los sistemas de diseno asistido, con su consiguiente evolucion hacia los sistemas de modelado solido y los actuales sistemas de modelado de informacion en edificacion, ha permitido obtener maquetas electronicas, imagenes fotorrealisticas y animaciones virtuales de la construccion con una calidad muy aceptable. Pero todavia no se puede decir lo mismo respecto de las maquetas fisicas, obtenidas a partir de ese modelo electronico del edificio a traves de maquinas de fabricacion rapida de maquetas y prototipos. En el presente trabajo se aborda el estado actual del arte en cuanto a la obtencion de maquetas de construccion mediante maquinas de impresion en tres dimensiones (maquinas de fabricacion rapida prototipos), analizando las dificultades que todavia no han sido subsanadas, y se plantea una linea de trabajo en cuanto a maquinas, procedimientos de trabajo y manipulacion de los ficheros electronicos que puede ayudar tanto al usuario final (para aprovechar al maximo la tecnologia actual), como al desarrollador de soluciones para la construccion, pues se marcan las pautas de lo que se persigue en este sector. Palabras clave: Prototipado rapido, modelado arquitectonico, prototipado virtual, impresion 3D, construccion.