As a medical device worn in the human ear canal, hearing aids have high requirements for comfort, and customizing hearing aids is the way to achieve high comfort. Digital technologies such as 3D printing and 3D scanning have brought accurate and efficient mass customization solutions to the hearing aid manufacturing industry.
Custom fitted 3D printing hearing aids are modeled on the anatomy of each individual patient. Compared to retail versions, these custom models are vastly more comfortable, with their superior fit reducing movement or slipping within the ear. Some of the smallest ITCs, especially those worn deep within the ear canal, are almost exclusively sold as custom models.
Advantages of 3D printed hearing aids
Manufacturers can now make hearing aids far faster than before. Rather than having to create individual negative molds for each impression, these unique shells can be mass-produced via 3D printing, with multiple unique shells being printed on the same build plate. As a result, audiology 3D printers can create upwards of 50 custom 3D printing hearing aid shells or molds in an hour.
Additionally, these shells are printed more accurately than silicone molds, allowing less time to be spent on finishing the shells.
3D printing also results in less material used to create each hearing aid. With previous techniques, once a negative silicone mold is cast it cannot be used again as it is unique to that particular patient.
Although 3D printed shells still require a positive impression of the ear canal, the negative mold is replaced with scans of the impression instead, saving material, and therefore costs.
