Stratasys: A next-level lab solution

The secret to dental lab survival in the next decade: go digital! For a dental lab to survive in today’s market, you need to expand your reach. Win new customers. Open fresh markets. In short: You need to go digital.

3D printing helps you better plan and execute your digital dental workflow so your clients will immediately notice the difference in quality and turnaround. Objet 3D Printers from Stratasys are leading the digital dental revolution and can be found in many of the world’s leading dental labs.

3D printing makes digital dentistry happen with improved communication and collaboration while also tightening the design and development cycle. Send your 3D file digitally to the Stratasys 3D printer where it will print the stone model, appliance, delivery and position trays, clear aligners, and retainers and surgical guides, quickly and efficiently. Stratasys’ advanced PolyJet technology, featuring ultra-thin build layers, sets a new standard in 3D printing. High-speed, easy and clean production of smooth surfaced, fine-detailed models are available within hours of receiving the 3D file.

Contact Stratasys to find out why now is the right time to move to digital dental production with Objet 3D Printers by visiting stratasysdental.com.

About Stratasys

Stratasys manufactures 3D printing equipment and materials that create physical objects directly from digital data. Its systems range from affordable desktop 3D printers to large, advanced 3D production systems, making 3D printing more accessible than ever. Through its network of certified resellers, Stratasys delivers responsive regional support around the globe. The Stratasys portfolio of specially engineered 3D printing materials is the most comprehensive in the industry. It includes hundreds of PolyJet photopolymers and FDM thermoplastics. The company maintains dual headquarters in Eden Prairie, Minnesota and Rehovot, Israel. Stratasys holds nearly 500 granted or pending additive manufacturing patents worldwide. It is a public company that trades on NASDAQ under the symbol SSYS.

Click here to read about how one lab is using Stratasys technology to provide higher product quality.

Picking Up Speed
Vancouver-based Protec Dental Laboratories has worked hard to keep its staff and equipment up-to-date to ensure it produces the highest quality dental restorations. So, it was natural for Protec to utilize 3D printing combined with digital imaging to become a fully digital dental lab. The adoption of CAD/CAM procedures levels the global playing field by providing cost reduction opportunities and higher product quality.

The Challenge
Off-shoring of dental restorations to low-cost countries poses serious competition for many dental labs. Manual operations are too slow and labor-intensive to compete in today’s market. Meeting customer demand and maintaining fast service is another challenge.“We realized we could not deliver models and restorations fast enough without owning the entire manufacturing process,” said Neal Russell, general manager of Protec Dental Laboratories.

Let's talk about money: The 2014 dental fee survey, brought to you by Sikka Software and Dental Products Report

The Solution

The Objet Eden260V™ 3D Printing System enables a seamless digital process from oral scanning, through CAD/CAM design to 3D printing. Using the Objet Eden 3D Printer, Protec technicians manufacture an extensive range of models directly from intraoral scans, physical impression scans and gypsum scans. The precision printing of the printer allows Protec to accurately and rapidly manufacture dental models. The fine details and outstanding surface finish of the Objet Eden ensure a high degree of accuracy.

Click here to keep reading about the case study results with Object 3D Printing System.

The Result
The new in-house 3D printing capabilities based on the Objet 3D Printer enable Protec to bypass its former slow and expensive outsourcing procedures. Protec can now deliver products faster and at lower costs, and maintain its competitive position even as the market gets tougher. The Objet 3D Printing System has enabled Protec to introduce non-technicians into the manufacturing workflow, enabling dental technicians to focus on the higher-end tasks. The result is a significant productivity increase by the lab technicians. As a result of the increased productivity, Protec can now provide a wider range of dental solutions, with higher accuracy and improved turnaround times.

Trending Article: Thoughts from a Colorado dental hygienist on opening her own practice and serving the public

Case study

At a glance:
Challenges:
» Create digital models
» Reduce model fabrication times
» Maintain high dental model accuracy while increasing fabrication throughput
Solution:
» Objet Eden260V 3D Printing System
Results:
» Fully automated digital workflow for fabrication of dental models
» Increased throughput without adding dental technicians
» High precision production of dental models with fine details
» Improved customer service, with faster delivery times

This article originally appeared in the November 2014 Dental Lab Products Buyer's Guide, in a special advertising section. For articles on other great lab products in action, click here to subscribe to DLP's newsletter: bit.ly/dentallabenews.