Delcam adds more options to dental machining system

Delcam has added extra five-axis machining options to its DentMILL knowledge-based machining system for the manufacture of dental components to make it easier to program the manufacture of dental bars, implant bridges and customized abutments, the company said in a press release.

In addition, the previous options for the production of copings, bridges and abutments in ceramics and titanium have been enhanced. In particular, the ability to use multithreading technology has reduced calculation times for users with multi-processor computers.

DentMILL is based on Delcam's PowerMILL high-speed five-axis machining system. In addition to broadening the range of dental restorations that can be produced, the use of five-axis machining helps to reduce material waste, minimize hand finishing operations by removing undercut regions, and give more flexibility when machining difficult parts and materials such as hard-state zirconia, the company said.

While DentMILL is often used alongside Delcam's DentCAD design software, the program is can accept data from any dental design system or any scanner capable of exporting data in the STL format used widely within the dental industry, Delcam said. Similarly, it can output machining toolpaths to virtually any CNC machine.

The software features a simple interface using easily recognizable icons. The process is completely automated, so no prior machining experience is required to produce high-quality components, the company noted.