The best 3D printer for plastic models

[BobCDT]

Why not just mill confirmation models with dies? It might take some time, but reduce the detail in non essential areas to decrease mill time. I would rather buy another mill that can also be used for something else than a printer that can only do plastic.

What if a printer could print clear plastic surgical guides, night guards, wax patterns for pressing or casting, denture bases, models and temps? Would this be a viable output device.

 

[EGE]

the problem with 3D printers is that they output the same tolerance on the whole model...I have a printer that produces high tolerances only on important zones: the prepared tooth and the adjascent ones, to check fitting...and the upper zones of the other teeth to check occlusion. And guess what ??? The available materials are of different hardness and very stable. Oops...forgot to say; but the price is same as making a stone model.

 

[NicelyMKV]

the problem with 3D printers is that they output the same tolerance on the whole model...I have a printer that produces high tolerances only on important zones: the prepared tooth and the adjascent ones, to check fitting...and the upper zones of the other teeth to check occlusion. And guess what ??? The available materials are of different hardness and very stable. Oops...forgot to say; but the price is same as making a stone model.

I'll bite and which printer is that???

 

[BobCDT]

the problem with 3D printers is that they output the same tolerance on the whole model.

Is this a bad thing? I don't get it. Why would one want inferior anatomical form on any part of a model?

 

[woof]

Has anyone tried laser sintering? How does that compare with SLA/SLS?

 

[EGE]

I'll bite and which printer is that???

Sorry, I was just kidding...but I wanted to stress on the difference between 3Dprinting and Milling. Milling : choose the zones for high surface finish, choose the material (stable and hard enough) and produce one model in 45 min.
Bob: of course we would like to replace the same old plaster model with same costs, same time, same tolerances... but if you agree that we need to go digital (I know you do),then in 2013, we dont have a technology to do the same. This is why I believe that milling has the flexibiilty, provided the industry is ready to do some compromise.
I am not a specialist, but as I understand, the stone model is used to check the fitting on a single prepared tooth, the die, that is placed back on the model together with the crown and used with the opposite jaw to check the occlusion. Correct ?
If we are looking only at these two functionnalities, then the precision must be only on the prepared tooth and on the zones of the jaws which are in contact during occlusion.
Am I right ? If yes, then milling can produce a quarter model (upper and lower) in less than 30 minutes in a hard enough material...or produce the complete model with high quality surface finish in 1H...but then costs is nearly twice.