Align Technology Awards Raindrop Geomagic Software License and Development Contract.Business Editors, Health & Medical and High Tech Writers RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK Research Triangle Park, research, business, medical, and educational complex situated in central North Carolina. It has an area of 6,900 acres (2,795 hectares) and is 8 × 2 mi (13 × 3 km) in size. Named for the triangle formed by Duke Univ. , N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 5, 2001 $1.6-million initial commitment from Invisalign maker sets stage for first application of mass customization Align Technology (NASDAQ NASDAQ in full National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations U.S. market for over-the-counter securities. Established in 1971 by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), NASDAQ is an automated quotation system that reports on : ALGN ALGN Amelogenin ), maker of the Invisalign orthodontic orthodontic (ôr´th  dän´tik),adj system, has awarded Raindrop Geomagic a software license and development contract valued at more than $1.6 million. The contract is the first phase of what is expected to be a long-term strategic partnership between the two companies. It will help make Align Technology the first company to offer "mass customization" - individually designed products that can be manufactured in large quantities for the general public. Align is expected to deliver millions of Invisalign devices, each precisely fitted to individuals during various stages of orthodontic treatment. Align's customized manufacturing process requires the latest technologies in computer graphics and animation, computational geometry, computer vision, and 3D scanning and printing. Raindrop Geomagic is providing patented technology and engineering services that enable Align to optimize its manufacturing process to meet current demand and increase its capacity in the future. "This agreement is the most significant milestone since Raindrop Geomagic's inception (in 1996)," says Ping Fu, the company's president and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. . "Align Technology will make history as the first company to lead the wave of mass customization for the 21st century." Align Technology selected Raindrop Geomagic as its partner based on the company's technology and "world-class talent," according to Zia Chishti, Align Technology's CEO. "Our design and manufacturing processes require automation, throughput and customization, all of which Geomagic has the unique ability to provide." Raindrop Geomagic (www.geomagic.com) develops and markets Geomagic Studio, the first 3D product to provide precise dimensional (geometry) and photometric pho·tom·e·try n. Measurement of the properties of light, especially luminous intensity. pho  to·met (color) information in one process. The result is true-to-life 3D models that can be created in minutes by anyone, rather than in days by a specialist. The company was founded in 1996 and is based in Research Triangle Park, N.C. Align Technology designs, manufactures and markets the Invisalign System, a proprietary new method for treating malocclusion Malocclusion Definition Malocclusion is a problem in the way the upper and lower teeth fit together in biting or chewing. The word malocclusion literally means "bad bite. , or the misalignment mis·a·ligned adj. Incorrectly aligned. mis a·lign ment n. of teeth. The Invisalign System corrects malocclusion using a series of clear, nearly invisible, removable appliances that gently move teeth to a desired final position. Because it does not rely on the use of metal or ceramic brackets and wires, the Invisalign System significantly reduces aesthetic and other limitations associated with braces.
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