Dentures in record time—directly from the CAD/CAM milling unit instead of laboriously produced in the laboratory: Current developments in dental technology open up innovative possibilities. And they call for superior technologies: Because diamond-coated precision tools in the smallest dimensions are indispensable for the production of dental prostheses from zirconium oxide blanks, as shown here using the example of the Taiwanese manufacturer IDI.
Processing of zirconium oxide blanks for the production of dentures.
(Image: LWDESIGN)
The market for flawlessly manufactured dentures is growing steadily and reliably. A change is noticeable in the manufacture of dental prostheses. The signs are pointing towards efficiency: what for a long time was almost artisanal manual work in the dental laboratory is now produced automatically.
Crowns, Bridges And Inlays Made of Zirconium Oxide
Dental laboratories, but above all dental practices themselves, are increasingly relying on CAD/CAM milling units to produce crowns, bridges and inlays from zirconium oxide blanks with a precise fit. In a digitized process, the dentition is scanned and the data record is transferred directly to a milling program. The dental prosthesis is then precisely milled from the prefabricated blank—quickly, efficiently and to the highest quality.
The ceramic material used, zirconium oxide, impresses with its durability, outstanding aesthetics and excellent biocompatibility. However, from a machining point of view, it is very abrasive and therefore highly wear-intensive for the milling tools. Conventionally coated milling cutters quickly reach their limits here. Diamond-coated tools, on the other hand, guarantee reliable and economical machining. They are the only technically convincing solution in this field of application.
About IDI Precision Machinery Ltd
IDI Precision Machinery Ltd., based in Taichung, Taiwan, is a manufacturer of precision tools for the mold making and dental industries. The company offers a comprehensive range of milling tools specially designed for machining graphite, zirconia, titanium, hardened steel and stainless steel. IDI stands for a technology-oriented corporate culture with the highest manufacturing standards. According to the manufacturer, precision tools with tolerances of up to ±0.0001 inches are realized. In terms of coating technology, the company relies on the specialist from Würselen mentioned in the article.
Graphite And Zirconium Oxide Machining Requirements Are Comparable
For tool manufacturers who already use diamond coatings for their quality tools for machining graphite, this opens up a major market opportunity in dental technology. This is because they can transfer their expertise to the manufacture of carbide milling cutters with diameters of just a few tenths of a inch.
The demanding dental technology market can also be perfectly served with high-performance coatings. In terms of tool geometries, material stress and dimensioning, the requirements of graphite and zirconium oxide processing are comparable. For Cemecon partners, the step into this constantly growing future market is therefore a small one. The transfer of knowledge to the new sector is quick and easy to implement.
Proven in Practice: Diamond Coatings for the Dental Market
The Taiwanese tool manufacturer IDI Precision Machinery Ltd. relies on diamond coatings from Cemecon for its micro-tools, which are up to 0.3 millimeters thick.
(Image: IDI / Cemecon)
The example of the successful Taiwanese tool manufacturer IDI Precision Machinery Ltd. shows how rewarding the step into the dental market can be. As one of the leading manufacturers of milling tools for mold making and dental technology, it supplies the Asian market as well as the USA in particular. In the dental sector, IDI's product range includes milling tools in diameters from 0.01 to 0.12 inches, each in precisely fitting variants for the milling units of common industry suppliers.
IDI relies entirely on quality from Cemecon for the diamond coating of its high-performance tools. IDI consistently uses the service of the world's largest coating center in Würselen for all tools and thus receives outstanding coating quality. With perfectly coordinated logistics, the partners master the transportation routes that the tools travel from Taichung to Germany. This is because the constant uniformity and homogeneity of the Cemecon coating on the delicate tools ensures an otherwise unrivaled high milling quality with the lowest possible tolerances.
Thanks to tools with Cemecon diamond coatings, you can rely on high-quality, dimensionally accurate machining results with maximum reliability and extremely easy handling.
Cemecon even coats tools with a diameter of just 0.008 inches on an application-specific basis—this is where the diamond coating specialist makes the most of its more than two decades of experience in the development of this technology to meet even the most specific requirements.
Dental Sector: More Than A Niche Market
Cemecon is very proud to be able to help its customers achieve success in new and future-oriented business areas. "The dental sector is much more than a niche market—it is a fast-growing technology driver that combines industrial thinking with medical standards," summarizes Gerhard Hagedorn, Cemecon Product Manager, Diamond.
"For tool manufacturers with experience in the mini and micro range for graphite machining, this offers the opportunity to transfer their expertise to another high-margin sales market—without having to reinvent the wheel." Cemecon is also happy to supply "newcomers" with the decisive coating materials for machining the highly abrasive material.
Also: Unmanned Manufacturing of Precision Parts for Medical Technology
Together with Cemecon, the tool manufacturer "HPTec" has developed the "RQR 350" milling cutter with a diameter of 0.12 inches and "InoxaCon" coating for micro-cutting in medical technology. The "miracle tool" is designed for a stable, precisely reproducible manufacturing process that can be reliably automated and run overnight.
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