Скачать или смотреть Milling Machines: 4-Axis vs. 5-Axis (Vol. 1, Issue 1)

As with so many fabrication industries, the temporal and economic advantages afforded by digital CAD/CAM technologies have revolutionized manufacturing in dental laboratories. Increasing hardware and software sophistication joins decreasing upgrade costs in a capitalistic one-two punch that continues to supplant cast-and-burnout production methods of prosthetics and components.

To compete for business from dentists accustomed to short in-lab working times and minimized costs, laboratory decision makers may be tempted to purchase the latest in cutting-edge technologies under the assumption that better equipment will translate to larger profit margins. However, when it comes to milling machines, the bigger-is-better axiom is anything but certain. The manufacturing freedom granted by that extra axis comes at significant cost beyond the one-time purchasing fee, and any decision to acquire such a machine should be preceded by a thorough cost-benefit analysis.