Carbon’s AO suite can be integrated into workflows to achieve high efficiency and precision, the company said.
REDWOOD CITY, Calif.—A new suite of dental lab automation tools from 3D printing technology firm Carbon is reported to elevate the efficiency of dental lab production by greatly reducing print turnover times and processing labor.
The first tools available within Carbon’s Automatic Operation (AO) suite, introduced at Lab Day Chicago 2024, include Automatic Print Preparation, AO Backpack, and AO Polishing Cassette. The 3D printing tools emphasize efficiency, reliability, and scalability and are designed to integrate easily into various lab environments, the company said in a release.
Automatic Print Preparation, described as a pivotal tool in Carbon’s software suite, automates the end-to-end process of preparing model print projects. Reported to significantly save time and reduce labor, the tool can be paired with other products in the AO suite, or on its own with other Carbon hardware.
The AO Backpack tool is an addition to Carbon’s 3D printers that automates the printing and part removal process for up to 14 hours, enabling overnight production and reducing the labor required to operate Carbon’s M3 printer. With a print turnover of under five minutes, it is said to match “some of the best human-staffed print turnover times seen on Carbon printers.”
Carbon’s AO Polishing Cassette uses advanced light scattering technology, enabling automated surface smoothing to achieve glossy surfaces without manual polishing. This enhances the print quality of Carbon-printed dental appliances and reduces post-processing time after printing, the company said.
“The launch of our Automatic Operation suite marks a pivotal step on our journey to elevate the dental lab industry,” said Carbon CEO and Co-Founder Phil DeSimone, in a statement. “These innovative solutions embody our ongoing mission to deliver technology that not only meets the current needs of labs but is built on the idea of continued innovation across the additive manufacturing industry.”