Delcam adds more five-axis machining options to dental machining system

DentMILL now provides automated machining of abutments.

Delcam has added extra five-axis machining options to its DentMILL knowledge-based machining system for the manufacture of components for the dental industry. The new functionality will make it easier to program the manufacture of dental bars, implant bridges and customised abutments. 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 makes it easy for technicians with minimal experience of computer-aided manufacturing to produce restorations using the latest machining technology. It 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.

As well as broadening the range of dental restorations that can be produced, the use of five-axis machining helps to reduce material wastage, minimise hand finishing operations by removing undercut regions and give more flexibility when machining difficult parts and materials such as hard-state Zirconia.

While DentMILL is often used alongside Delcam’s DentCAD design software, the program is completely ‘open’ and so accepts data from any dental design system or any scanner capable of exporting data in the STL format used widely within the dental industry. Similarly, it can output machining toolpaths to virtually any CNC machine. Most other dental CAM programs are part of a ‘closed’ system that can only work with unique data formats or specific machining equipment.

The software features a simple interface using icons that can be recognised easily by dental technicians. The process is completely automated, so no prior machining experience is required to produce high-quality components.