Renishaw opens dental laser sintering facility

The copings and frameworks will be produced using an advanced rapid manufacturing technology called Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS), and will allow dental laboratories to offer a high quality, lower cost alternative to ceramic restorations. The DMLS process is sometimes described as '3D printing' as it uses a high power laser to fuse together successive thin layers of powdered metal, just 0.02 mm thick. The frameworks are created from powdered Cobalt Chrome and when every layer has been built up, the solid copings and bridge frameworks are then removed from the machine, sand blasted, polished, inspected and ultrasonically cleaned. The DMLS process is precise and computer-controlled, ensuring consistent frameworks with improved marginal fit and no possibility of inclusions, defects or distortions that are commonly introduced in manual casting processes. The machine can create hundreds of units at a time, meaning that cost per unit is kept low. Speaking about the new facility, Bryan Austin, director of Renishaw's Dental Products division said, "The DMLS process is much cleaner and more efficient than traditional investment ('lost wax') casting techniques used for many years to produce metal frameworks, and we believe that our new service will appeal to laboratories, who would like to remove a messy process and free up space." The facility was officially opened on 9th March by Dr Robert Williams, from the University of Wales Institute in Cardiff, who is a leading expert in dental CADCAM rapid manufacture.