July 29, 2011 - Increasing numbers of dental professionals are becoming aware of the limitations of “closed” dental CADCAM systems. WorkNC Dental CAM software developer, Sescoi, with various CNC machine tool partners, has been running free workshops and seminars in Europe to illustrate the benefits of open systems. Open systems allow laboratory owners to choose the best combination of equipment and software to meet their needs. In July it was the turn of Spanish prosthetists to learn more at a workshop organized in association with Sescoi with its WorkNC Dental software, and Roland CNC machines distributor, Iddentic, and held at Roland Iberia’s showroom in Barcelona.

Numerous dental laboratories sent representatives to the event, which gave them a chance to see WorkNC Dental in operation, machining prostheses in soft materials such as zirconia and PMMA on a Roland DWX-30 4-axis milling machine and a Roland DWX-50 5-axis machine. Attendees also heard about implementation and methodology for the system from Iddentic.

The WorkNC Dental implant module can import scanned data from the patient. It automatically recognizes implants and allows implant connections to be selected and referenced from a library. Accurate drilling orientation ensures an exact fit of the finished bridge or crown, while 5-axis toolpaths machine undercut conditions, automatically producing a completely finished and precise prosthesis.

The CAM system has been designed so that dental technicians do not have to be familiar with CNC programming to get first class results. Automation, from nesting to maximize material utilization, to margin line detection for a comfortable and hygienic fit, and dedicated and automatic expert machining strategies, make it very easy to program new parts. For materials which require sintering, the system even allows for shrinkage during the process. Because WorkNC Dental is an open system it allows the user to develop innovative techniques for prosthesis manufacture which are not possible with a closed system, giving dental professionals a clear competitive advantage.

For larger dental laboratories, where several CNC machines are in use, Sescoi’s WorkNC Dental Automation module manages workflow through the machines, allocating jobs to the next available mill, starting and stopping the process and reporting on error conditions. The bi-directional links to the machine controllers automate machine shop management, enabling technicians to concentrate on their core skills.

Demonstrations of the Roland DWX-30 and DWX-50 dental milling machines illustrated how companies can implement cost effective in-house machining for the production of accurate and high quality bridges and crowns. By combining Roland CNC machines with the automation available in WorkNC Dental CAD CAM, and the implementation knowhow of Iddentic, prosthetists at the event saw how they could upgrade the services they offer at an affordable cost and without the need for extensive training.

One of the attendees commented, “This is the first time I have seen real dental CADCAM needs addressed. This workshop gives me a lot of confidence in the quality and benefits of the open solutions that are available allowing the use of best-of-breed dental CAD CAM software, such as WorkNC Dental”.


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