3Shape scanners

[PDentalLab]

Hello esteem colleagues, I have a question or just wanted to vent about a situation I've found myself in. I have been a dental lab tech since 1996.
In 2014 I purchased a 3Shape D500 at the time it was the least expensive entry level scanner into the wonderful world of CAD/CAM. I though of the twenty-three thousand dollars as an investment in my education in this field. Four years later I had the opportunity to work at a very prestigious dental lab where I designed and milled; full arch implant bridges, titanium bars, digital denture, and 3d models, they had it all. But on EXOCAD which I was then told was better in many ways. Now present time Pandemic I was force to move back home where I have a small dental studio and my recently paid off 3Shape D500 scanner. But in order to use it I must maintain a $3000yr 3Shape designer software.
I just want to scan models with the scanner I purchased.
Is there anyway I could just scan; cad point, another scan software? I'm asking you all because I can't get through to them, I call the 3shape they tell me to "call the seller."
I call the seller they say, "they'll have to contact 3Shape." And in the end it comes down to $3000 because my $25,000 w/ Interests scanner is only worth $3000 after 6 years.
Just trying to set the next course stay safe everyone.
Thank You

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[JMN]

Hello esteem colleagues, I have a question or just wanted to vent about a situation I've found myself in. I have been a dental lab tech since 1996.
In 2014 I purchased a 3Shape D500 at the time it was the least expensive entry level scanner into the wonderful world of CAD/CAM. I though of the twenty-three thousand dollars as an investment in my education in this field. Four years later I had the opportunity to work at a very prestigious dental lab where I designed and milled; full arch implant bridges, titanium bars, digital denture, and 3d models, they had it all. But on EXOCAD which I was then told was better in many ways. Now present time Pandemic I was force to move back home where I have a small dental studio and my recently paid off 3Shape D500 scanner. But in order to use it I must maintain a $3000yr 3Shape designer software.
I just want to scan models with the scanner I purchased.
Is there anyway I could just scan; cad point, another scan software? I'm asking you all because I can't get through to them, I call the 3shape they tell me to "call the seller."
I call the seller they say, "they'll have to contact 3Shape." And in the end it comes down to $3000 because my $25,000 w/ Interests scanner is only worth $3000 after 6 years.
Just trying to set the next course stay safe everyone.
Thank You

​

I can walk you through all of the how and why and why not.

But the answer is simply if you want to use hardware 3shape sells, you have to give money for a 3shape license of some type.

It's not allowed. And they enforce that by not allowing anything to know how to talk to the scanner but their stuff.

Yes, it can be figured out. But it gets complex really fast in more ways than can be seen easily. And is on the grey zone of legal.

 

[rkm rdt]

So you bought a D500 and for 4 years didn't use it? You would have needed the dongle and software from day one.

 

[CadGenius41]

If you dont want to design in 3shape you can convert your license to a Scan Only, which will do just like you ask, scan models and export STL files. Who is your reseller?