Objet 3D Printer Enables Full Integration of Digital Workflow
“The in-house Objet 3D Printing System has improved our competitiveness and turn-around times”
– Neal Russel, CDT Protec Dental Laboratories Ltd.
Picking Up Speed
Hailing from up north in Vancouver, Protec Dental Laboratories has worked diligently to innovate and adapt to the latest technologies in order to produce the highest quality dental restorations on the market. 3D printing became a natural fit for Protec as it enabled them to transform into a fully digital dental lab. The adoption of CAD/CAM procedures empowered Protec to reduce costs and improve their product quality.
The Challenge
Offshoring of dental restorations projects to low-cost countries presents major competition amongst dental labs. Manual operations have proven to be too inefficient to stay competitive in today’s fast-paced restoration market.
Meeting customer demands while maintaining fast service is another challenge as Neal Russell, General Manager at Protec writes, “We realized we could not deliver models and restorations fast enough without owning the entire manufacturing process.”
The Solution
With the Objet Eden260V 3D Printer from Stratasys, Protec has been able to serve a seamless digital process from oral scanning, through CAD/CAM design to 3D printing. The 3D printer allows Protec’s technicians to manufacture an extensive range of models directly from intraoral scans, physical impression scans and gypsum scans.
The Result
Having the Objet 3D Printer in-house gives Protec the opportunity to bypass traditional slow and costly outsourcing methods. With quicker turnaround times and lower costs, Protec can maintain its competitive position even as the market grows tougher.
Even non-technicians are being introduced into the manufacturing workflow due to its ease of use, enabling dental technicians to focus on higher-end tasks. This results in a significant productivity increase within the lab, allowing Protec to provide a wider range of highly accurate and fast dental solutions.