Dental Cassette Damage Reduction
This document provides instructions for minimizing damage to the cassettes used in dental labs by filtering resin between prints. This process greatly reduces the likelihood of cured resin or other solid contaminates remaining in the resin and damaging the cassette window during printing. These suggestions may also improve efficiency by reducing the time between prints.
One-Part Resins
- All one-part resins
- Two-part resins have a pot life and cannot be stored after mixing.
- M1, M2, M3, M3 Max
M-Series Printers
- M1, M2, M3, M3 Max
Tray with aluminum foil
- Plastic or metal tray covered with aluminum foil.
- Used to hold used platforms.
Pour stand, funnel and paint filter
- Clean, undamaged platform
Cassette with resin
- Undamaged cassette filled with the appropriate amount and type of resin.
- Use a cassette lid or aluminum foil to keep particulates out of resin and prevent light from indirectly curing the resin.
Pour stand, funnel and paint filter
- Pour stand used to hold cassettes while filtering resin.
- Standard paper or metal funnel to hold paint filter.
- 1 – 3 printers: A single operator can remove the full platform and used cassette then install the new platform and cassette for a low number of printers. More printers may require more operators.
- Be ready: Prepare accessories before the printer has finished printing to minimize downtime.
- Cover resin: When storing resin in cassettes or using the strainer and bucket, keep the resin covered to prevent curing and to keep particulates out.
- Modify for your situation: These instructions are provided as general guidance and will need to be modified based on the number of printers, resins, space, etc. that you have. For instance, you may choose to continue using the standard paper funnel and paint filter to strain used resin back into the resin bottle instead of filtering with a sieve and bucket.
- Prep
- Before the printer finishes, prepare a clean platform and undamaged cassette filled with resin.
- Swap
- After the printer finishes, remove the platform with printed parts first. Then remove the used cassette.
- Install the fresh cassette with resin first and then the clean platform.
- Start the print.
- Filter
- Place the cassette on the pour stand and filter the resin.
- Check the window for damage.
- Fill with fresh resin and cover for the next cycle OR fully clean the cassette so it may be stored or filled with a different resin.
The mobile cart works well for multiple printers or larger labs. The cart enables carrying multiple items at once and easily and safely moving them around the lab. Use the top shelf for fresh platforms and cassettes and place used platforms/cassettes on the bottom shelf.
- Place fresh platforms and cassettes on the top shelf.
- Dedicating the top shelf to clean platforms and fresh cassettes reduces resin contamination.
- Place used platforms and cassettes on the middle shelf.
- Separate used platform with wet, sticky parts from clean accessories.
- Use cassette lids when possible.
- Cassette lids work great to keep particulates out of the resin. They also enable safe stacking of cassettes.
- Keep it clean.
- Wipe down the shelves with blue towels and IPA as needed to prevent resin contamination.
If your lab uses multiple printers, this option can reduce filtering time by using the same filter for multiple cassettes. Performing this operation multiple times in succession also saves time.
This option only applies to filtering one type of resin. Do not mix resins.
- Place resin bottle under the holder on the pour stand. Adjust the holder as needed.
- Place funnel and filter in the holder.
- Put cassette on pour stand and pour resin into the filter/funnel.
- Repeat as needed for each cassette.
- For each cassette: Clean or refill with the same resin as needed.
If your lab uses many printers over multiple shifts, this option can further optimize the filtering process.
This option only applies to one resin used for each strainer/bucket combination. Do not mix resins.
- Follow instructions for Option 2 above with the following differences:
- Instead of the funnel and paint filter, use the strainer on bucket shown in the Equipment table above.
- Cover strainer with aluminum foil when not in use.
- Covering the strainer keeps contaminates out of the strainer and the filtered resin.
- Protects residual resin from being cured from ambient or direct light.
- Clean strainer as necessary to remove captured debris and particulates.
Contact [email protected] if you have any issues or questions.