Good printer recommendation that's friendly with 3shape, mostly for surgical guides

[JonnyLathe]

So my doc here at the clinic I work at wanted me to start looking into printers, and I know nothing about them. We currently use the PM7 for milling, so I'd like to find something that's friendly with 3shape. The things he wants to mill are mostly surgical guides, nightguards, models, and things like base-plates/custom trays. We mill our dentures so we wouldn't be using it for that. Any suggestions? Thanks!!

 

[mightymouse]

When it comes to 3D printers all you need is an STL file. In terms of freindly with 3shape it doesn’t matter what design program you use. Printers have what is a called a slicing program (nesting equivalent) and all you need is a STL file to place (just like milling) in a set environment that replicates your build plate (platform that your design gets printed on). So instead of a circle that your designs are nested in you have a rectangle to place your designs.

With that in mind you can spend thousands or hundreds on a printer depending on the applications you need. You can go with the knockout king of dependability Asiga or go budget friendly with Phrozen and other hobby printers. It all depends on your budget and time willing to spend on R&D. Good luck.

 

[Contraluz]

So my doc here at the clinic I work at wanted me to start looking into printers, and I know nothing about them. We currently use the PM7 for milling, so I'd like to find something that's friendly with 3shape. The things he wants to mill are mostly surgical guides, nightguards, models, and things like base-plates/custom trays. We mill our dentures so we wouldn't be using it for that. Any suggestions? Thanks!!

There are a couple things to consider and we should know before suggesting a model. Like how many models, guards etc a day, How much do they want to invest and so forth.

However, if its 3shape or something else doesn't matter. Although, you will need 'Model Builder', in order to build a model and generate a STL file. That STL file will be then imported into the printer software which then will be used to generate a printable file/model. I'd venture to say, all printer out there will handle well 3shape's stl files.

I myself have an ASIGA Max and I am pretty happy with it.

 

[doug]

Asiga

 

[sidesh0wb0b]

asiga or sprintray

 

[JonnyLathe]

We aren't a high volume clinic, we probably do 2-4 night guards a month. It'll mostly be models and surgical guides, but eventually we'd like to make surgery guides for guided All-On-X surgeries. So other than guides, night guards, models, custom trays and baseplates we'll mill or do things analog.

That being said I think my doc cares the most about reliability, warranty, and customer service.

 

[Brett Hansen CDT]

We have an Asiga 4K. I believe the Asiga Max is basically the same accuracy with a smaller build plate and maybe slower. I don't think you can get much better than the Asiga. You obviously value good equipment that comes with excellent support. Get your Asiga from WhipMix and you will be very happy.

 

[JonnyLathe]

Right on, I'll look into the sprintray and the asiga max

 

[bigj1972]

We aren't a high volume clinic, we probably do 2-4 night guards a month. It'll mostly be models and surgical guides, but eventually we'd like to make surgery guides for guided All-On-X surgeries. So other than guides, night guards, models, custom trays and baseplates we'll mill or do things analog.

That being said I think my doc cares the most about reliability, warranty, and customer service.

Nice mill. You got a Ford F-350 to drive to the post office.

 

[JonnyLathe]

Nice mill. You got a Ford F-350 to drive to the post office.

You're not wrong. We mostly got that mill to do ivotion monolithic dentures so we could make stronger All-On-X temporaries than I can make in the ivobase. We do a lot of immediate load. They're breaking ground on a second clinic soon and they want me to do their lab work for that as well (plus a smaller prosthodontics clinic they partner with) and I can't do all of that work analog, I'm swamped as it is with one clinic and can't seem to find techs that are experienced doing removable around here.

 

[Brett Hansen CDT]

You're not wrong. We mostly got that mill to do ivotion monolithic dentures so we could make stronger All-On-X temporaries than I can make in the ivobase. We do a lot of immediate load. They're breaking ground on a second clinic soon and they want me to do their lab work for that as well (plus a smaller prosthodontics clinic they partner with) and I can't do all of that work analog, I'm swamped as it is with one clinic and can't seem to find techs that are experienced doing removable around here.

sounds like you guys invested in the perfect mill. besides regular cleaning, we never have to worry about our PM7.

 

[JKraver]

You're not wrong. We mostly got that mill to do ivotion monolithic dentures so we could make stronger All-On-X temporaries than I can make in the ivobase. We do a lot of immediate load. They're breaking ground on a second clinic soon and they want me to do their lab work for that as well (plus a smaller prosthodontics clinic they partner with) and I can't do all of that work analog, I'm swamped as it is with one clinic and can't seem to find techs that are experienced doing removable around here.

Is the ivotion worth it?

 

[JonnyLathe]

Is the ivotion worth it?

I'm not sure yet! I was typing fast in the middle of a busy day and didn't mean to come off like I have experience using the PM7. We haven't had the mill delivered yet because we just got a dedicated compressor and they won't install without it. I hope so. I talked to the guys at Wiand Dental Lab in Arizona and they said they use ivotion for temporaries (immediates and immediate load) only because the ivotion dentures aren't quite as detailed as when you mill the teeth and base separately.

 

[Brett Hansen CDT]

I'm not sure yet! I was typing fast in the middle of a busy day and didn't mean to come off like I have experience using the PM7. We haven't had the mill delivered yet because we just got a dedicated compressor and they won't install without it. I hope so. I talked to the guys at Wiand Dental Lab in Arizona and they said they use ivotion for temporaries (immediates and immediate load) only because the ivotion dentures aren't quite as detailed as when you mill the teeth and base separately.

We are a fixed lab so i have zero denture experience. I did take a class through Ivoclar on Ivotion and the PM7. I would join the FB group for the PM7. There are some labs that are using their PM7 to do dentures. You can learn a lot from them.

 

[JonnyLathe]

We are a fixed lab so i have zero denture experience. I did take a class through Ivoclar on Ivotion and the PM7. I would join the FB group for the PM7. There are some labs that are using their PM7 to do dentures. You can learn a lot from them.

Awesome, I'll check them out. Thanks!

 

[Bonita5]

Take a look at what Formlabs has to offer! Solid printer, easy to use, large build plate with a "flexible" build plate coming in the fall so your models and parts just "snap off" when you flex the plate. Their wash and cure system is really hands-off too. Lots of resins to choose from.

 

[JonnyLathe]

Take a look at what Formlabs has to offer! Solid printer, easy to use, large build plate with a "flexible" build plate coming in the fall so your models and parts just "snap off" when you flex the plate. Their wash and cure system is really hands-off too. Lots of resins to choose from.

Good to know, funny enough I was doing a conversion at an oral surgeon's the other day and noticed they had a formlabs printer. They said good things about it when I asked. I'm also meeting with a sprintray rep on Wednesday to hear about those.

 

[MrNeverFixit]

Good to know, funny enough I was doing a conversion at an oral surgeon's the other day and noticed they had a formlabs printer. They said good things about it when I asked. I'm also meeting with a sprintray rep on Wednesday to hear about those.

Avoid formlabs. The lab i work has 2 of them, some issues i don’t know. They bought envision tech. And also recently bought the Asiga.

 

[sirmorty]

The best way to get actual feedback without the drinking the salesman kool aid

Most of these 3d Printers have Facebook user groups.
Jump in on those if you can and you can see the any issues that actual users are having and if support from these resellers
has actually been able to address any issues.

You get to know who to buy the printer from as well.

 

[boblab]

So my doc here at the clinic I work at wanted me to start looking into printers, and I know nothing about them. We currently use the PM7 for milling, so I'd like to find something that's friendly with 3shape. The things he wants to mill are mostly surgical guides, nightguards, models, and things like base-plates/custom trays. We mill our dentures so we wouldn't be using it for that. Any suggestions? Thanks!!

Formlabs are a nightmare had to send 4 back they were all replacements of replacements! I went with asiga! Works great.