Trumpf system laser-prints multiple dental prostheses automatically

13 Jul 2021

TruPrint 1000 offers “Multilaser” capability; two lasers working simultaneously in a metal powder bed.

The whole tooth: four plates can be printed in one piece.

Industrial technology and laser company Trumpf’s Multiplate materials processing solution enbles manufacturers to print up to 400 replacement teeth in one piece.

This dual laser 3D printer, based on the TruPrint 1000 3D system, can work overnight without the need for employees to be in place to manage. The solution is designed to help dental labs avoid bottlenecks during peak orders and works approximately ten times faster than milling, Trumpf says.

At the forthcoming IDS trade fair for the dental industry in Cologne, Germany, 22 to 25 September 2021, Trumpf will showcase its latest solutions for series production in 3D printing.

Improved Multiplate function

These include a new, improved version of the Multiplate function for the TruPrint 1000 3D printer. This technology enables the 3D printer to automatically change the substrate plates on which the system prints the dental prosthesis.

“With our solution, companies can automatically produce dental restorations in multiple layers. In contrast to conventional milling, this makes them around ten times faster. We are making a significant contribution to increasing productivity in the dental industry with additive manufacturing,” said Reinhard Sroka, dental industry manager at Trumpf Additive Manufacturing.

The TruPrint 1000's coater tool pushes the substrate plate into the overflow container at the end of the process. The 3D printer then independently processes a new substrate plate.

The system can seamlessly start the next print job without a machine operator having to open it and insert a new plate. A spring fork ensures that the overflow container lowers the substrate plates to the correct position. The TruPrint 1000 with the multiplate function is suitable for all manufacturers in the dental industry, especially smaller dental laboratories.

TruPrint 1000 with the Multilaser principle is ideal for the dental industry.

Printing 400 teeth in one piece

With the new Multiplate version, the TruPrint 1000 can automatically print dental restorations onto four substrate plates in succession. For this purpose, TRUMPF experts have developed special support structures that the 3D printer builds up additively on the substrate plate during the process together with the dental prosthesis.

With these structures, the substrate plates can be stacked on top of each other in the overflow cylinder without damaging the printed dental prosthesis. The TruPrint 1000 features the Multilaser principle, in which two lasers work simultaneously in the powder bed.

With the Multiplate function and the Multilaser principle, the system can print up to 400 dental products such as bridges or crowns at a time. The TruPrint 1000 with the Multiplate function is suitable for all manufacturers in the dental industry, especially small dental laboratories.

This is because employees in the industry often restart the 3D printer at night to meet delivery deadlines. Smaller dental labs usually don't have the capacity for this and must turn down orders. The improved multiplate function helps them avoid bottlenecks and remain competitive.