3Shape scanner accuracy

[Thomas H]

I have been thinking about purchasing a scanner for a while, but we are a small two-person lab so it a big investment. While I was at LabDay West this weekend, I lead about the different scanners 3Shape has to offer. They have the E1 scanners all the way up to the E4. The man difference is time and accuracy. (I'm going off of memory here, so bear with me. They don't put much info online.)

E1 has 10μ (or it could have been 7μ)accuracy. And each scanner improves slightly incrementally.

The new one, the E4, has 4μ (or it was 3μ).

My question is, when it comes to manufacturing restorations, is the e1 good enough for all type of cases or do we need a more accurate one?

The other question is: do you guys know anything about how upgrading scanners with 3Shape work?

 

[Car 54]

Others here who do bigger cases like implant bars etc will let you know if 10 microns is good enough. 7 probably for sure. I also guess it depends on the mill accuracy as well, and what accuracy it can realistically mill at?

For me, I'd also be just as concerned with speed. I'm glad I bought the one I did (D1000) compared to the 900 that was being discontinued.
You'll find you'll start using it more and more for everything you can get your hands on to scan, and mill or send out.
While mine is "processing" during scanning I'm opening the door taking one plate out and putting another one in, it becomes very fast and efficient when
you don't have to wait very long for a scan to get done.

 

[AnAppleaDay]

If you do mainly crown and bridge work, the E1 is more than adequate.
I would buy the best your budget will allow since you will be using it a lot for years to come.
The added accuracy will become more important for cases with multiple dies or implants and on removable partial denture cases and the such.
The E3 strikes a very nice balance and should be even more affordable now that the E4 is out.

 

[CoolHandLuke]

Doesnt matter much. Point density in 3shape meshes is still 20um.

 

[Farrah Fawcett]

20um data point spacing?? No way! I wanna see a raw scan data.

We don't see this on the manufacturing output. Not even close to that.

If true, let me see please.

 

[CoolHandLuke]

Even if i did, majority of mills out there dont get within 10 um either. I used a 650i that at its best was still 60um deviant due to cam constraints.

 

[Farrah Fawcett]

ok

I doubt CAM has anything to do with the mill's accuracy.
99% sure it doesn't

 

[Beatrice]

The new E4 is claiming to be 4 micron, the D2000 claim with 5 micron.
As a very accurate milling center using industrial and scientific quality equipment I have tried the D1000/D2000 in very intensive testing and I will recommend this scanner for implant bars (most difficult thing to scan),the E3 is supposed to be as precise as the D2000, so it give you an idea.

As said by CoolHandLuke tho few milling center have real machine that achieve such precision.
Other point, whatever scanner you have tapered implant (Straumann, Astra, etc) are very very challenging to scan and fit properly even with the new generation of scanners.

Hope this can help in your research.

(if you are more the Exocad type, at the moment I strongly recommend the Medit t500 for precision and price point.)