Applies to: DentalCAM & DentalCNC 8.10 / E4 / N4+ / Z4

Setting up CAD/CAM integration

If you use the following machine models, DentalCAM & DentalCNC can be integrated with certain CAD applications:

If you use CAD/CAM integration, you will design and nest objects completely in the CAD application. When exporting, DentalCAM automatically calculates the machining strategy in the background and sends it to DentalCNC.

On Z4 machines, the touchscreen immediately displays the job for further processing.

The supported CAD applications depend on the machine model.

^*additionally available: 3Shape Produce workflow
	E4	N4+	Z4
TRIOS Design Studio	No^*	No	Yes^*
exocad ChairsideCAD	Yes	Yes	Yes

E4 / N4+

Minimum required exocad ChairsideCAD version:

E4	N4+
3.1	3.0 (middle block position can be used) 3.2 (all block positions can be used)

Activating the CAD/CAM integration

There are 2 ways to set up CAD/CAM integration with exocad ChairsideCAD:

exocad ChairsideCAD is installed on the CAM computer The computer that is connected to your machine and which runs DentalCAM and DentalCNC.. This is recommended as it will simplify the configuration process.

If you use this configuration, only perform the basic configuration.
exocad ChairsideCAD is installed on a separate computer (“CAD computer”), which is connected to the CAM computer The computer that is connected to your machine and which runs DentalCAM and DentalCNC. via network.

If you use this configuration, perform the basic configuration and the exocad network configuration.

Basic configuration

Open the DentalCNC Application settings with the following icon in the main icon bar:
Open the General settings with the following icon in the local icon bar:
Activate the CAD/CAM integration and 3Shape Produce enabled option.

If you have installed exocad ChairsideCAD on your CAM computer The computer that is connected to your machine and which runs DentalCAM and DentalCNC., you are done.

If exocad ChairsideCAD is installed on a separate CAD computer, continue with the exocad network configuration.

exocad network configuration

Only perform the following procedure if exocad ChairsideCAD is installed on a different computer than DentalCAM & DentalCNC.

Configuring the CAM computer

Access the CAM computer The computer that is connected to your machine and which runs DentalCAM and DentalCNC..
Create the following folder:

C:\CADshare\DentalNestingObjToMDW
Share this folder in your network. The CAD computer requires read and write access to it.

Checking the data transfer folder setting

Open the DentalCNC Application settings with the following icon in the main icon bar:
Open the General settings with the following icon in the local icon bar:
Check if the following folder path displays under the CAD/CAM integration: Data transfer folder label:

C:\CADshare\DentalNestingObjToMDW

If it doesn’t, do the following:

To store the data transfer folder in DentalCNC, select the depicted icon to the right of the CAD/CAM integration: Data transfer folder label.

A window for selecting the folder opens.

From the drop-down list, select the drive letter c:.
Select the following folder:
CADshare\DentalNestingObjToMDW
Select the depicted icon.

The selected folder displays below the CAD/CAM integration: Data transfer folder label.

Configuring the CAD computer

Access the CAD computer.
Install exocad ChairsideCAD.
Map a network drive to the C:\CADshare\DentalNestingObjToMDW folder that you created on the CAM computer.
- Record the drive letter.
- Enter the exact folder path including the leading backslashes \\.
- Enter the login credentials for your CAM computer.
  
  Store these login credentials on the CAD computer.
- Activate the Reconnect at sign-in option.

Setting up exocad ChairsideCAD

In Windows® Explorer, open the exocad ChairsideCAD folder.
Change into the config folder.
Open the following file with a text editor:

settings-chairside.xml

Inside the file, find the following expression (“tag”):

Directly behind the expression, you will find the exocad output path.

Replace the output path with the letter of the network drive that you recorded followed by a colon (:).

Example: You recorded the drive letter Z. The expression in the XML file must be:

Save and close the XML file.

Z4

The machine’s operating instructions contain all details.

 Set up the CAM computer

What's next?

If you want to use our multi-machine control feature:

Setting up multi-machine control

If you want to integrate the applications into your network:

Integrating DentalCAM & DentalCNC into your network