The Whip Mix Blog

10 Ways to Ensure Lean Pressing

  

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Bernie Jaroslow, CDT

Whip Mix Corporation 

bjaroslow@whipmix.com

Lean is all about improving the dental lab process. It is about identifying and removing all types of waste and making sure that each task of the process adds value to the product being produced. Having the right material, the right parts, and the right equipment in the hands of the right technician is key. In addition, it is also about having those items in the right condition and ready at exactly the right time. When you  add it together that means:

LEAN Preparation + LEAN Planning = INCREASED PROFITS

Few processes are more critical to proper Lean preparation than pressing cycles. A successful press cycle depends on the effective merging of all the preceding manual tasks. Properly sized and designed wax patterns, whether made manually, milled, or printed are dependent on accurate models. Ensuring burn out equipment and procedures are exact and 5S’ed regularly helps guarantee results that add value to the final product. Having Lean practices in place provides the consistency and predictability necessary for the perfect pressed or press-to solution.

Here are 10 valuable preparatory standards that must be in place.

A 90 Second Facebow Can Save You Time & Money in Your Dental Office

  

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By Lori Cable, CDA
Whip Mix Corporation
lcable@whipmix.com

Do you have 90 seconds to spare?  In just 90 seconds you can decrease chair time, have less remakes, minimize occlusal adjustments and increase your production at the same time! 

With an emphasis on esthetic dentistry today, now more than ever it is important to be able to provide the dental laboratory with as much patient information as possible. This becomes mission critical in those cases where you are changing the esthetics of the anterior teeth or altering the vertical dimension.

For those larger restorative cases you should use an anatomical face-bow/ear-bow. An anatomical face-bow/ear-bow record establishes the relationship of the maxillary dentition to the horizontal reference plane so that the maxillary cast can be mounted on the articulator in the correct anatomical position. And if that is not enough, studies show that most face-bows on the market can place you within 5mm of the true hinge axis. 

The closer you can record the patient’s true anatomical plane of occlusion, the more accurate your final occlusion and esthetic result will be which ultimately ties into your production.

In my 26 years of experience there seems to be two common hang up’s as to why face-bow registrations are not taken. I think I have two simple solutions for both and hopefully they will inspire you to either hunt for your old face-bow or consider purchasing one.

First of all, get over hang-up #1, “I don’t have the time”

Most of you think you don’t have the time to spend on re-learning this technique and then actually taking the record. Teach your auxiliary staff to take the face-bow registration.   Now, before you say that’s too important to delegate, this is the same person taking dental radiographs and primary impressions which are also very technique sensitive procedures.

It is important however to teach your auxiliary the principals behind the record itself. The technique can easily be taught and most manufacturers have some type of manual or video to refer to.  It might be as easy as going to the manufacturer’s web site to download a video.

Second, get over hang-up #2, “it’s too complicated”

Every time I attend a program where face-bow technique is taught I hear the question, “what if the eyes are not parallel” or “what if one ear is higher than the other”?  Well, really if we think about it, we are not talking about huge asymmetries. If you have a situation like this, pick the eye you think aligns up with the rest of the facial features and go with it. Remember you will make final adjustments in your approved provisionals. This came straight from Dr. Pete Dawson’s mouth to my ears; I sure can’t argue with that!

I think you will find that with most face-bows, the instructions will tell you to try to align the inner-pupillary line parallel with the horizontal reference plane.  This will help you capture any asymmetries in the occlusal plane which we do not want to replicate in the provisionals or the final restorations. It is always a good idea to step back from the patient to confirm you are parallel with the horizontal plane.  If you need to make a slight adjustment to the ear-bow, it’s better to do it while the patient is with you in the chair. Some people like to use the aid of a level to further validate the correct orientation. If you want to go one step further and make your lab happy, take a photo of the face-bow on the patient. This way your lab knows if it is the face-bow that is crooked or it is the maxilla.

Hang-up’s aside, the great news is, face-bows have been designed today with efficiency and patient comfort in mind.  Some of the most popular face-bow designs come with a single toggle to lock the registration in place.  Obviously only having to tighten one toggle instead of two saves time but it minimizes on confusion as to which toggle you tighten first.  As far as patient comfort, there is less torque on the patients face and in the ears with the single toggle. 

As far as efficiency is concerned, most of the newer designs offer an indirect mounting technique; this is the way to go! This technique allows you to remove the bite fork portion of the registration from the ear-bow. Using a jig you can mount your record to the articulator without attaching the face-bow to the articulator. This gives you more access to the cast while mounting and your ear-bow is free to take another registration if you have an extra assembly. Come to think of it, it saves money too because you only need one face-bow and a few extra bite fork accessories!

In closing just remember who we are really doing all of this for…the patient; we benefit from our patients’ satisfactions.  Let a 90 second face-bow record improve your esthetic outcome, save time in your chair and make your patients’ love you for their smile!

Unwrapping the Mystery of Pressing to Zirconia

  

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Robert Henson, CDT/TE
Senior Technical Representative
Whip Mix Corporation
rhenson@whipmix.com

The esthetics and efficiency of milling wax patterns over zirconia copings have brought the efficiency and production of technicians to a new level in the ever changing world of the dental lab.  The hands on time to complete a  prosthesis is minimal.  This makes this products profitability attractive to many dental laboratory owners. 

The trick is to figure out what works with what.  What techniques to use, what particular products to use and what equipment to purchase.  The one constant is technicians still have to follow certain procedures and manufactures instructions to get predictable and reliable results.  Specific principles need to be followed. 

When pressing, several things need to happen or be present for success, beginning with adequate energy in the ring.  This translates to heat.  This is critical for the pressed glass material to have the ability to fill the entire cavity.  The variable now is that we have this foreign material in our mold that doesn’t absorb energy at the same rate as investment.  If the glass cools as is comes into contact with insufficiently heated zirconia, no amount of pressure will fill the cavity (Figure 1). So the first procedure to this process is to burn out at the right temperature.  Burnout pre-treats the mold to aid in transferring energy to the ingot so it can reach the correct viscosity to fill the mold.  It pre-infuses the mold with the correct amount of energy needed for successful pressings. 

There is another element to the equation of successful hybrid materials pressing.  The software for designing copings and patterns will simultaneously design the coping to have more support or even thickness in combination with the wax pattern, depending on the default settings. In virtual design software, you have the option of controlling your coping wall thickness and the cutback from the wax pattern. If one is not mindful of these settings in the software, there is a possibility for winding up with a smaller space for the glass to flow through in the occlussal areas.  (Figure 2a, 2b)  This narrower glass flow space can be an issue if the correct viscosity of the glass is not met which could lead to an unsuccessful pressing.

The second procedure is to burnout for the recommended time.  This allows the energy to be absorbed throughout the ring.  All investments are not created equally.  They have different densities and ingredients which dictate the amount of time for energy to be absorbed throughout the entire mold.  And remember, we still have a foreign object in the mold that needs some energy.  These two factors, time and temperature are vital for success.

The next item is pressing.  The correct pressing parameters must be followed for success to occur.  Most ovens move from an entry temperature to a temperature designed to bring the glass to the proper viscosity.  In addition, once that temperature is reached, an additional heat soak time is occurring before pressing begins.  Any of the previous factors discussed can have an effect on whether glass is successfully pressed and the mold is filled. (figure 3)

As you can see, there are numerous factors that can lead to success or failure of pressing to zirconia.  Those days when we get busy as technicians, we try to modify our techniques.  Sometimes this means cutting corners.  We all do it.  You just have to understand the principles so you know which ones you can cut and where you need to compensate.

Don't forget the basics, watch the webinar Phosphate Investments: Secrets of Success, just one of the numerous factors that lead to the success or failure of pressing!

5 Easy Steps to Begin a LEAN Transformation in Your Dental Lab

  

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Bob Long
Lab Relations Manager
Whip Mix Corporation
blong@whipmix.com

In Whip Mix’s first ever blog I discussed how implementing LEAN processes in your dental laboratory can increase profits and have received a lot of questions from dental labs on where and how they can begin their LEAN journey. The 5S’s give the lab a much cleaner picture where additional waste may exist and is essential for laboratories to begin their LEAN journey.

5S – is having the right thing, in the right place,at the right time, clean and ready to use.

Excessive motion is one of the biggest wastes in labs today. Chaos, Confusion and Clutter lead to excessive motion. You should find anything in your work space in 15 seconds and someone else should be able to find anything in 5 minutes.

1. SORT - Sort means we remove all items from the workplace that are not needed for current job or process. This follows a JIT Manufacturing principle of “only what is needed, only in the amounts needed, and only when needed.

“When in doubt, move it out”. Begin weeding out items and create guidelines for removal and most importantly get involvement from management.

When SORT is implemented:

• Problems and annoyances in the work place are reduced
• Communication between team members is improved
• Product quality is increased
• NVA (Non-value added) activities are reduced
• Throughput is increased

2. STRAIGHTEN (Set in Order) – keep needed items in the correct place to allow for easy and immediate retrieval. This is the core for standardization, orderliness and the foundation for “zero” defects. Set in order cannot be done without first doing the Sort.

In this phase of 5S, it is a good idea to begin developing layouts, procedures and equipment configurations that will mistake-proof the processes.

3. SHINE – “To be LEAN you must be clean” Team leaders must inspect their areas on a daily basis. If we are clean at the end of the shift we will be clean at the beginning of the next shift. The restaurant business stresses that everyone clean as you go. Just as important in the dental lab environment.

Shine also means all equipment is operating with maximum efficiency with regular preventative maintenance and cleaning. Operators will notice when a piece of equipment is not at maximum performance.

4. STANDARDIZATION - Standardization exist when the first three 5S’s are properly maintained. It means we develop methods to Sort, Set in Order, and Shine our workplace. It means we define everything so everyone will know exactly what we are responsible for; and, exactly when, where, and how to do it.

You cannot measure results if you have not set standards. How would you know if you have improved? Standards must be documented and visual:

• Guidelines
• Checklists.

5. SUSTAIN - Sustain is different. It is a single separate activity. We sustain when we have developed the habits of always using the first 4 of the 5S’s together on a daily basis.

Sustain takes the involvement of management by ensuring that the first 4 steps are maintained “rain or shine”. To ensure that you are doing this- audit; audit processes and procedures to ensure that they work and make improvements or changes as necessary. Other key’s to sustaining is:

• Make 5S part of everyone’s daily job.
• Create storyboards showing success.
• Communicate 5S as a LEAN project.
• Rotate audit assignments.

Sustain must prevail when forces in the work force challenge the effort.

By implementing the 5S’s in your lab: 

• Safety is improved
• An orderly environment improves morale.
• Visual management becomes easier.
• Facilities and equipment are used efficiently.
• Training and orientation of team members is faster and more consistent.
• Searching for, retrieving and storing of tools and materials is faster and more efficient.

In addition you will find that you can push more work through the lab in the same amount of time with the same amount of people, adding value for your doctors with faster turnaround, better quality, and predictable results.

For more information on the 5S, watch our webinar, The Value of the 5S's.

Seven Steps for Gypsum Model Preparation

  

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By Craig Pickett CDT, RG
Technical Support Manager, Whip Mix Corporation
cpickett@whipmix.com

Even with the latest developments in scanning and milling restorations, the use of gypsum based materials is essential to your laboratory processes. An in depth understanding of these materials and their behavior is part of the foundation of success in your business.

It may seem like everyone should be familiar with gypsum usage, but a good review is still beneficial to everyone. First, let's cover the chemistry:

The raw product, either taken from the ground or produced as a by-product of the energy industry is then heated and ground to a powder. In this process, excess water is driven out of the material creating its overwhelming need to get it back!

1.  Store Wisely - Remember that all gypsum products should be stored in low humidity cabinets or areas and preferably in sealed containers. An open 50lb box left on the floor with the liner pulled back is an open invitation for material ruin. “The first half of this box worked great, but now it has problems. I think I got a bad batch”. Chances are that you have a bad storage system in a humid environment. Wall bins are great for access but should not be filled so full that the material sits prior to use, for days on end exposed to the atmosphere.

2.  Measure Twice, Mix Once - Measuring accurately and mixing properly are just as critical. 100gr of plaster is not the same in volume as 100gr of die stone. Manufacturers create defined physical properties for each gypsum product. When you change the parameters of Water/Powder Ratio and Mix Time, you also change the other physical properties. If a particular product is not behaving as you would like, it may be the wrong product for your application or you may not be following the instructions correctly. Review the procedures on a regular basis to make sure that you have not drifted from the intended use or handling instructions. Also seek your manufacturer’s technical advice for your application.

3.  Clean is Best - If your Clients walked in right now would you be embarrassed to have them in the lab? How would you react if your physician’s medical lab looked like your dental lab? Make sure that your areas and your equipment are clean and in proper working order.

4. Beware of Interactions -Gypsum that has already set acts as a catalyst when in contact with unset gypsum and causes changes in the set and working times. Don’t mix gypsum stones and plasters in the same bowls used for phosphate investments. The phosphate can keep the gypsum from setting properly.

5. Less is More - Other chemistry issues can also affect you. Excessive disinfectant solution or water can give you unset or powdery gypsum at the surface. Make sure that your impressions are clean and only slightly damp before you pour. Excessive use of alcohol based surfactants or debubblizers will also give you surface issues like softness or chalkiness.

6. Eliminate Impression Headaches - Impression materials and their use can be problematic. Do your best to match the linear expansion of your stone to the linear contraction of the impression materials that you receive. Stones generally range from .05% to .3% expansion. Impression materials are being reported from .0018% to .4% contraction, so you can see there is a great possibility of mismatch. If your doctors are constantly complaining of tight crowns you may want to check for a mismatch problem before you change the ratios in your investment materials.

Always check the impressions for problem areas. Tares, voids, unset material, air traps on marginal areas or impinging on the tray (tray show through), all are sources of case failure and should be pointed out to the doctor and noted on the prescription, along with the Dr.’s indication to continue or re-take the impression. Pouring and pulling can damage what you first see; show the doctor the problem in the impression prior to the pour.

7. Presentation Counts - Sloppy gypsum work leaves your practitioner clients with the image that you are a sloppy, non professional laboratory. See that the model work and articulations are smooth, free from excess gypsum and clean. There should not be articulating ink, fingerprints or other unnecessary markings left on the casts when returned to the client.

Remember that what you do with your gypsum work is the foundation that the remainders of the processes are built upon. Beginning with a well done foundation, helps to insure that your restorative creativity will be long lived and professionally appreciated. 

Using Articulating or Occlusal Marking Paper in the Dental Laboratory

  

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By Craig Pickett CDT, RG
Technical Support Manager, Whip Mix Corporation
cpickett@whipmix.com

The use of a ‘transfer’ mark to judge the relationship between parts has existed for many years and in many industries. Administrative Assistants used carbon paper to duplicate letters long before copy machines, and type writers used coated ribbon to transfer the symbol from a striker to the paper long before laser and ink jet printing. Gun makers used fire soot to coat the metal parts and then transfer a soot mark to the tight areas of wooden parts they were trying to match.

In the dental laboratory and in the clinical setting we use Articulating or Occlusal Marking Paper or film, to indicate spots on a tooth that come into premature contact with opposing dentition. These papers and films come in varying thickness and colors and are used at the technicians or clinicians discretion.

The case is mounted on an articulator using the bite registration or by placing the casts in maximum intercuspation (MI). The articulating paper or film is then placed between the teeth and the upper and lower models are closed onto the paper or film. Light pressure is applied to force the upper and lower models together. When the two casts are opened and the paper or film removed, a mark will be left on the cast showing the spot where the models touched.

In a process know as “equilibration”, these marks are removed with an instrument, and the process repeated until there are multiple and even marks across the occlusal surfaces of the cast. This would indicate that the teeth are contacting in a well distributed and an even manner. In a clinical setting the doctor would use the same process (also referred to as selective grinding) to balance the patients bite and remove interference or collision during mastication.

Once this corrected bite is established on the articulated casts, the waxing or porcelain process can begin. With the wax up or stacked porcelain completed, the occlusal relationship of the new restoration can be checked by following the same process. Place the paper or film between the teeth and on top of the restoration. Close the casts and apply light pressure to the models. Open the articulator and remove the paper or film. Premature or ‘high’ spots will be established by the mark on the restoration. The clinician will determine how He/She wants the intercuspation in vitro. The technician should have specific communication with the clinician regarding the occlusal plan for the case. Remove these marked areas with an instrument until you are “out of occlusion” by noting that the paper no longer marks on the occlusal surface of the restoration. Look for three (3) marks in a “tripod” arrangement on the cusps surrounding a fossa for “tripodized occlusion”.

Work accurately, taking care to not over reduce the models or the restoration in the process of checking intercuspation.

10 Steps for More Consistent Results Using Phosphate Investments

  

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By Craig Pickett CDT, RG
Technical Support Manager, Whip Mix Corporation
cpickett@whipmix.com

Do a regular walk though of your lab and check for these conditions...

1.  Replace Old or Worn Mixing Bowls...Old or heavily worn bowls retain or remove moisture from the mix and reduce the amount of energy put into the mix. This can reduce your expansion.

2.  Check the Age of the Investment…Investment over two years old should be discarded even if it is in prepackaged envelopes. Phosphate investments can “age out”, causing changes in their chemistry that affect the working properties and your end results

3.  Store and Use Investment in Stable Environments… Changes in temperature and humidity change the investments chemical reaction. Open containers or packages allow moisture from the air to change the investment properties. Don’t allow the invested rings to bench set under or next to heating and air conditioning vents or in boil out or burn out rooms. Hot or Cold temperatures change expansion and set times. Garages and under sinks or next to air-conditioning and heating vents are not good places to store investment. Environmental changes in the lab will contribute to misbehavior in investment

4.  Measure Accurately… Changes in Liquid / Powder ratios and Liquid / Water Ratios, change the size or fit of your castings. Use the latest dispensing machines or measure each mix accurately with scales and graduated cylinders each time. Don’t just guess! Don’t add more liquid to make it go farther or work longer.

5.  MIX the Recommended Time and Speed…Mixing times and speeds are recommended to completely wet the powder components and to put energy into the mix to aid expansion. Changes in the mix time or speed change the behavior of the investment and the fit of your castings. The manufacturer tested these speeds and times for their investment…follow their instructions.

6.  Time Bench Sets… Bench Set times allow the chemical reaction between powder and liquid to occur to harden the investment, give initial expansion, drive off excess moisture from the reaction and begin the binder process. Shortening the time can lead to cracking and exploding. Set and use timers, don’t just guess. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for extended set times.

7.  Watch Insertion Temperatures…Insertion temperatures and temperature rise are recommended by the Investment Manufacturer. Burn Out temperature and burn out time are recommended by the Alloy Manufacturer. incorrect temperatures cause issues with the investment and casting. Insertion temperatures that are too high may cause the ring to crack or blow up. Calibrate your oven on a regular basis.

8.  Heat Soak Correct Time…Each Investment has a top temperature soak time. This time allows a ring in the oven to reach the top temperature internally prior to casting. The stated time is for ONE ring. Each additional ring adds 10 minutes to the total hold time.

9.  Use the Correct Investment… Use the correct investment for your procedure. Not all investments are RAPID FIRE. Choose an investment that matches your castable or pressable and the procedure you wish to follow.

10.  Review Before You Call… Keep the instructions for your investment as part of your technical library. Review and assess the issues before you call for technical help. Have a description of the problem, lot numbers and behavior of the material ready for your support technician.

To View Technical Tips on Whip Mix Phosphate Investments 

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Why Use an Articulator?

  

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By Lori Cable, CDA

If asked the question, how many doctors agree that one of the keys to successful restorative dentistry is in the diagnostic and treatment planning phase, I would venture to guess most of you would. 

Using the analogy of constructing a house meant to last potentially a life time we would expect to develop a blue print; a plan that would guide you thru the construction phase.  This blue print would also help you identify the key resources needed to achieve success.

In dentistry you have a similar goal in mind.  Your resources are a treatment plan (blue print), radiographs, current diagnostic casts, a face-bow registration, articulator instrumentation and a quality driven laboratory.

In this article I would like to discuss one of the keys to your success; understanding why using a semi-adjustable articulator in your general practice can prove to be one of your biggest assets.

Knowing “when” and “how” to use a semi-adjustable articulator in your general dental practice can prove to be an asset not only during the diagnostic phase of dentistry but also during treatment planning as well as during the treatment phase.

Knowing the “when” is really the only difficult part of the decision making process.  Depending on whose philosophy you follow it can be as simple as asking yourself a few questions during the diagnostic and treatment planning phase.

For example, are there signs of breakdown or occlusal instability?  Am I restoring more than two teeth in an arch or am I increasing the vertical dimension?  

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, hopefully you’ve made the decision to take a face-bow and mount the diagnostic casts on a semi-adjustable articulator.  The “how” is the easy part.  Just think, two of the most invaluable lab procedures, taking a face-bow record, and mounting casts are commonly delegated to a trained auxiliary staff member.  How much easier can it get?

Most semi-adjustable articulators on the market today are very simple to use and usually come with some type of manual or even a DVD for training purposes.  You will also notice that most semi-adjustable articulators have similar adjustments which allow you to re-produce most mandibular movements. Understanding the instruments features as you compare manufacturer to manufacturer, will help you realize that they all perform the same movements.  This should minimize some fear and confusion out of the selection and use process. 

The decision on which instrument to purchase should match the complexity of your cases, the desired restorative result, the instruments degree of precision as well as the technical level of your dental laboratory.  

You should also base your decision on the type of records you prefer taking during your clinical exam.  If you take a protrusive record, you will need an articulator that will allow you to set the condylar inclination.  If you take lateral records, you will want to be able to set the progressive side shift or Bennett angle.  Other than a CR record, these are two most common records used to program the articulator. 

Keep in mind while making your selection, that most of the expensive instruments on the market perform, the same functions as the mid priced instruments.   Where you may find a difference between the higher end and lower end would be in the precision of the instrument as it relates to cross mounting casts.   Most instruments on the market today are built with an average between 90-100 microns; some are as accurate as 20 microns or less; while there are some semi-adjustable instruments that are not calibrated to be used for cross mounting.

You may still be looking for that one good reason to start using that articulator you had in dental school if you still have it!  Well, I’ll give you a few…

I’m always surprised to hear why a lab or dentist chooses not to use an anatomical or semi-adjustable articulator.  Most of them think they are really saving time or money by not going thru the face-bow or mounting process.  If you don’t think you have time to mount those bigger cases, talk about your delivery procedure.

Most crown and bridge delivery appoints do not have a fee attached to them; they are usually a non-production appointment.  If you schedule 45 minutes for a delivery appointment and go past the appointment time because you are adjusting the occlusion, you just lost chair time which equates to a loss of profit.

Dr. DeWitt Wilkerson who has a private practice inSt. Petersburg and is a key faculty member of the Dawson Academy reminds us of the 4 P’s which explain why we need to use a semi-adjustable articulator.

Productivity:   Being able to show the patient what their needs are after a complete exam and treatment plan aids in the patient making an informed decision and increases treatment acceptance. 

Predictability: If you use your semi-adjustable articulator during your treatment planning, you have the opportunity for a “dry run” prior to ever touching the patient.  Working out the esthetic goals thru wax and then later in the provisionals, will bring you towards a more predictable result. 

Precision: Using your semi-adjustable articulator to establish the desired outcome pre-treatment thru equilibration, waxing, provisionals and then to the master prep models guides the laboratory technician to exactly replicate the provisionals in the final restoration.  “This is precision dentistry which requires minimal adjustments in the mouth”.

Profitability:  Creating a treatment result that meets the functional and esthetic goals the first time is profitable.  Reducing remakes and keeping in harmony with your dental lab saves time and money making your practice more profitable.

In the end every successful restorative treatment outcome has a planned beginning and end.  The vision does not happen by good fortune or accident.  After a thorough examination, a treatment plan or “blue print” is essential to a solid foundation for your restorative reconstruction.  Utilizing the key elements to aid in the fabrication of your restorative work will minimize frustration and maximize efficiency!  

Remember: Envision it, plan it and like the Nike motto states:  Just do it! 

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Checking the Calibration of Your Articulator in 4 Easy Steps

  

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Ensuring your articulator is in calibration is just like keeping up on regular maintenance of your car.  If you fail to keep up a regular maintenance schedule on your car, it can lead to problems down the road. 

In the case of your articulator, a Whip Mix Verification Gage allows you to check for calibration between instruments giving you assurance that mounted casts can be interchanged between same model/type articulators. This enables you to send only the mounted casts between office and lab, saving cost and unwanted damage to articulator caused during shipping.

Using the Verification Gages from Whip Mix, you now have a simpler, quicker way to check that your articulator is in calibration; a procedure that can be performed in your dental office or dental lab in a matter of minutes.

Checking the calibration of your articulator in 4 easy steps:

Clean the mounting plate and condyle surfaces, then mount the gage

Verify top-to-bottom members are setting on a flat plane using mylar or 2” shim

Verify alignment with the verification pin. If the pin falls easily through each hole, the instrument is in calibration

If the pin does not drop, it is not in calibration. Some instruments can be calibrated others need factory calibration

These easy steps are compatible with the Hanau, Whip Mix and Denar Verification Gages which can be used on the most of our articulators including the Denar Mark II, the Whip Mix Model 2240, Hanau Wide Vue and Denar Mark 320.

Now you can transfer casts between compatible articulators without concern that accuracy will be affected! For more detail on how to calibrate your articulator, view our webinar How to Verify & Calibrate Your Articulator!

LEAN Processes in your Dental Lab can Increase Profits

  

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By Robert Long, Lab Relations Manager, Whip Mix Corporation

Today companies often talk about innovation and the need for constant improvement in their businesses. At Whip Mix, we have found that value can be created through better dental lab management. That's why our commitment to LEAN manufacturing principles is at the core of everything we do. It has become our way of life.  LEAN manufacturing is essentially a relentless and persistent search to add value and eliminate waste...waste through which products flow are identified and eliminated, the process becomes better, leaner and more competitive.

So you might ask yourself, "That's great for a company the size of Whip Mix, but what does that have to do with the management of our dental lab"?

We see our dental lab customers as our business partners, when their business does well, our business benefits.  So we have become LEAN process mentors.  We work with our lab partners by passing along what we have learned in our journey. For example, we introduce them to value stream mapping. 

Value Stream Mapping for Dental Labs

Through value stream mapping we show them how to become more competitive and more efficient by streamling their processes.  In addition, we put them on the road to developing better quality systems that make for better business.

In short we have become a resource not only for products but for process improvement management.  Once learned, LEAN will position any dental lab for growth and promote a culture that encourages and supports the team concept.  It teaches empowerment, responsibility and solutions.

Don't miss the LEAN SYMPOSIUM OF DENTAL TECHNOLOGY! 

October 7 & 8 in Louisville, KY