Method for calibration of manipulator utilized in apparatus and method for customized shaping of orthodontic archwires and other medical devices

A method of calibrating a bending apparatus comprising at least a first moveable manipulator and at least a second moveable manipulator, comprising the steps of:

• positioning a wire such that the wire is held by a bending core comprised of the first moveable manipulator and the second moveable manipulator;
• (a) moving a first axis of the first moveable manipulator
• (b) measuring a resulting movement of the wire,
• repeating steps (a) and (b) for each of a plurality of axes of each of the first moveable manipulator and the second moveable manipulator and measuring the resulting movement of the wire, wherein each of the plurality of axes are moved in different directions;
• recording each movement of each of the plurality of axes of each of the first moveable manipulator and the second moveable manipulator and recording each corresponding measured resulting movement of the wire;
• comparing the recorded movements of the wire to desired movements of the wire to determine positions and orientations of each of the plurality of axes;
• developing a real model of the bending core based on the positions and orientations of each of the plurality of axes, thereby calibrating the bending apparatus.