November 1, 2006 - Plymouth, Minnesota, USA - Unitron Hearing US, a leader in custom hearing aid manufacturing, announced today that they have taken the next step in custom digital shell processing with U.shell™.U.shell is a complete electronic process of scanning, modeling and printing custom hearing aid shells. Using rapid shell manufacturing software, 3D printing technology and a revolutionary shell material, custom hearing instruments are created precisely from initial ear impressions.
"U.shell is a natural evolution in our continuous improvement process for custom shell manufacturing," said Brian Kinnerk, President, Unitron Hearing US. "Although various attempts at incorporating rapid prototyping technologies have occurred in our industry in the recent past, it is only now that we are able to offer high-quality, comfortable shells with no compromise on cosmetics or the professional's ability to modify the shell for fit. U.shell offers the same UV compatible, acrylic material that our customers and their patients prefer. The result is a more precise shell with improved replication capabilities so we can respond to the needs of our customers more efficiently."
U.shell presents many advantages to both hearing professionals and their clients: "U.shell is all about quality -- providing exceptional custom shell quality, precision and accuracy with seamless transition to the hearing professional," explains Tad Ell, Quality Assurance Manager, Unitron Hearing US.
U.shell software enables a detailed design of the hearing instrument layout including style, canal length and venting options to ensure it is precisely tailored to patients' needs. With U.shell, you can optimize the fit and component placement so a precise model is designed before the manufacturing process begins.
The result for patients is custom hearing instruments that are very comfortable to wear, and that fit precisely in the ear canal with improved retention. In addition, since ear impression data is stored electronically with U.shell, if the hearing instruments are lost or severely damaged, an additional ear impression is often not required.
The process of creating U.shells begins with taking a silicone ear impression. After the ear impression is made, a high-resolution digital scanner records thousands of data points from the impression to create a 3D point cloud. The 3D digital model is then customized for shell style, part placement, and venting options to create the smallest shell possible. After a thorough quality check, a rapid 3D printer uses a digital light projector (DLP) to generate images of the digital model in 100 micron layers. The images are projected through a liquid material that hardens when exposed to the DLP light. Multiple U.shells are then built layer by layer until the final shells are complete.
All Unitron Hearing custom products, from full shell to CIC, are available in U.shell. U.shell is compatible with all Unitron Hearing venting options and wax guard systems. The new hypoallergenic material is UV compatible for easy adaptation into hearing professionals' practices. Contact your local Unitron Hearing US representative to request U.shell.
Additional Information
U.shell Information for Hearing Professionals
U.shell: Custom Innovation with Digital Precision (PDF, 266 kB)
About Unitron Hearing
Unitron Hearing is a global provider of digital hearing solutions. Founded in 1965, the company is committed to solving the everyday problems of people with hearing loss by designing easy-to-use digital hearing instruments. Unitron Hearing serves customers in more than 70 countries worldwide.
For more information, visit www.unitronhearing.us
