5-AXIS MACHINING CENTER FOR DENTAL MILLING
Winner of Red Dot Industrial Design Award, the machine tool is the only machining center in the world operated by an Apple iPad.
The D5 Dental Mill from Datron Dynamics, Inc. (Milford, NH) is a 5-axis, high-speed machining center designed specifically and exclusively for dental milling applications including crowns, bridges, abutments, inlays, onlays, telescopes, implants, bar work and even models. A rigid cast iron construction houses a fully integrated 5-axis automation system built to hold up to 8 material blanks or “pucks” frequently used by dental labs.
This integrated 8-piece handling system loads and unloads blanks for unattended operation. Finished blanks can be unloaded from the machine while the machine is running. The D5 is optimized for the efficient machining of common dental materials such as NEM, titanium, chrome-cobalt, zirconium, PMMA, wax, ceramics and dental gypsum. This machine has seven dynamic servo drives, cast construction, horizontally mounted industrial spindle, all of which produce superior and ultra precise parts.
The D5 is the first and only machining center in the world to feature a user-friendly touch-screen Apple iPad to control all machine functions. The control software is an open architecture capable of interfacing with all standard scanning systems and CAD/CAM packages. Even the size of the machine was dictated by the needs of dental laboratories, and the D5 can fit through a standard 36 in x 80 in commercial door.
The touch operator interface (Apple iPad) enables very simple programming of the Dental software. Since the iPad is removable and can be taken off of the machining center, machine operations and job status can be monitored remotely even from a distance. For example, by activating the Live View button, the iPad screen shows the machining area. A camera mounted inside the machine transmits the image to the removable iPad screen. This feature allows the operator to check the production status of the machine from another location, such as an office, or perhaps a ceramic station.
Within the D5 machining software, the milling data generated by the CAM module is constantly synchronized with the job manager and activated when necessary. Simple Touch functions can link jobs together according to priority and deadline, or they can be run independently if preferred. Integrated blank management stores a library of data about the type and strength of the various materials comprising each individual blank (puck) housed within the automation unit. A plausibility examination is completed before any milling procedure begins. Tool data defining each tool type allows for the simple selection of tools by the CAM module. Based on the function and machining time for which the tool will be employed, a pre-defined tool exchange (replacement) is scheduled — thereby ensuring ongoing quality control even during unattended operations.
An integrated 13 station tool changer features tool-length and tool-break sensors. The milling tools and lubricant provided with the D5 which have been tested and optimized for superior tool life. The turning center of the rotary axis lies directly in the center of the material blank being milled which leads to tremendous rigidity – and contributes considerably to extremely high manufacturing accuracies.
About the Author: John Dymale
