Posted: January 13, 2012
Delcam to launch new dental milling software at Chicago meetings
Immediate Release Mary Shaw
January 12, 2012
Delcam will launch the 2012 version of its DentMILL computer-aided machining software for dental restorations at two events in Chicago; Cal-Lab Annual Meeting exhibit day February 23rd at the Westin Hotel and Lab Day Chicago February 24-25th at the Sheraton Hotel. DentMILL is part of Delcam’s complete, closely integrated dental solution, which covers every stage from accurately capturing the implant position and orientation, through to the high-precision, multi-axis milling of restorations, with a management system to track every stage of the process. Even though Delcam is the only company able to offer such a complete solution, the company remains committed to its drive to replace “closed” manufacturing methods, in which the user is restricted to the use of a limited range of equipment and materials, with “open” systems, in which manufacturers can combine their own choice of equipment and software, with a broad variety of materials. DentMILL can take models from most any dental design systems and generate toolpaths for a wide range of machine tools.
Highlights of the new release in DentMILL include an easier-to-use interface, closer integration with DentCAD, Delcam’s design software and OrderManger, Delcam’s software program that manages all the information created throughout the lifecycle of an order. In addition DentMILL 2012 offers more efficient nesting to allow improved material usage, and new strategies offering smoother machining and better surface finish.
The improved integration into the DentCAD workflow, including the introduction of a new user interface that replicates the easy-to-use style introduced in the 2010 version of DentCAD features a reduced number of toolbars to allow the maximum screen space for toolpath generation and simulation, together with bolder and clearer icons. The new interface has been designed in association with dental laboratories and milling centres to ensure that technicians with limited experience of computer-aided machining will find the software easy to learn and to use.
Material use has been made more efficient with improved and more flexible nesting tools to position the various restorations within the block. In particular, the ability to apply part-to-part pinning has been added, rather than having to use separate sintering pins for each restoration, increasing the number of parts that can be positioned within the block.
Furthermore, DentMILL is based on Delcam’s award-winning PowerMILL CAM system, which is widely acknowledged to be a leader in high-speed and five-axis machining. This allows the software to offer a far wider range of proven machining strategies than is available in other dental CAM programs. In particular, the availability of advanced five-axis machining options which further helps to reduce material waste and minimize hand finishing by removing undercut regions. DentMILL also benefited from background processing. Background processing means that a toolpath calculation can be started on the first items added to the block, while the remaining restorations are still being positioned. This approach reduces overall calculation times significantly.
Closer integration has also been added between DentMILL and Delcam’s OrderManager workflow management software so that the system is updated automatically with manufacturing data as it is generated. The additional automation makes it easier to use the system to manage all the manufacturing steps through to eventual dispatch, and to maintain a ‘real-time’ view of the centre’s total order status. Delcam’s OrderManager can be used with a variety of manufacturing methods as it can easily be tailored to manage any milling centre’s individual process steps. As well as incorporating a high degree of automation, the system has been designed to be extremely easy to use for staff at both the laboratory and the milling centre, thus minimizing administration time while maximizing feedback. All stages of each transaction are logged, providing complete traceability for every order.
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