Applies to: DentalCAM & DentalCNC 7.08

Installation of the applications and their components

How do I install DentalCAM and DentalCNC? What are the system requirements?

This Help article is part of the following workflow:Getting started

→ → →
 
  1. Install the software
  2. Connect to the machine & setup the applications
  3. Configure your tool stock
  4. Create your first job

New installation

If you need information about updating your current installation, see here.

You can install DentalCAM and DentalCNC onto your CAM computerClosed The computer that is connected to your machine and which runs DentalCAM and DentalCNC. together via a single setup programClosed A separate program called "Setup.exe" which installs the applications on your hard drive.. Normally, the setup process only requires that you first select a couple of simple options and then select multiple Next buttons until the installation is finished.

First, you should check the system requirements to make sure that the applications will run smoothly.

The multi-machine control feature significantly increases the system requirements of the CAM computerClosed The computer that is connected to your machine and which runs DentalCAM and DentalCNC..

  • CPU:
    • Minimum: Intel® i5 or equivalent
    • Recommendation: Intel® i7 or equivalent
  • Graphics Coprocessor:
    • Minimum: Internal with 300 MHz
    • Recommendation: Dedicated with 600 MHz
  • Operating system: 64-bit version of Windows® 10 or 11
  • Storage device:
    • 125 GB free space for data
    • Minimum: Hard drive
    • Recommendation: SSD
  • RAM:
    • Minimum: 8 GiB
    • Recommendation: 16 GiB
  • Display resolution: 1920 x 1080 (Full HD)
  • Permanent internet connection

The DentalCAM and DentalCNC installation package contains multiple components. The following table lists these components and tells you whether they are optional or required:

Component Description When will it be installed? Required when installing?

DentalCAM/DentalCNC core applications

The main applications that you will work with.

Automatically

Yes

C++ Runtime Environment

Technical basis for the applications. It does not have any function visible to the user

Automatically

Yes

Engine driver

Establishes a connection to the machine.

Automatic (you could deselect it, but then your machine would not work)

Yes

STL viewer

A third party tool for viewing STL files. Used directly on your CAM computerClosed The computer that is connected to your machine and which runs DentalCAM and DentalCNC. to check things such as wall thickness, drilling diameters, fittings, etc.

Only if selected in the setup programClosed A separate program called "Setup.exe" which installs the applications on your hard drive.

No

One common setting that can effect milling is the USB selective suspend setting. We recommend that you disable this to avoid any connection interruptions.

  1. Open Windows Settings.
  2. Select System.

    3. System selecting in the Windows Settings

  3. Select Power & sleep.

    4. Selecting Power & sleep

  4. Select Additional power settings.

    5. Selecting Additional power settings

  5. Select Change when the computer sleeps.

    6. Selecting Change when the computer sleeps

  6. Select Never from the Energy-saving mode after drop-down list.

    7. Never Selecting Energy-saving mode after from the drop-down list

  7. Select Change advanced power settings.

    8. Selecting Change advanced power settings

  8. Select USB settings [1].
  9. Select USB selective suspend setting and select Deactivated [2].

    10. USB settings Selecting [1] and changing USB selective suspend setting to Deactivated [2]

NOTICE

Incorrect job execution and damaging of the CNC machine if the program version is outdated and/or incompatible

If you use DentalCAM and/or DentalCNC versions that are outdated or incompatible with your CNC machine, jobs may be calculated or machined incorrectly or the machine may get damaged.

  • Only install the latest DentalCAM and DentalCNC version that is available for your CNC machine.
  • Always update DentalCAM and DentalCNC to the latest version that is available for your CNC machine.
  1. Deactivate all energy saver settings on your computer, deactivate the setting for selective USB energy saving and, if using a portable computer, ensure a permanent power source is always available.

    2. Keep all energy saver settings disabled while working with DentalCAM and DentalCNC because otherwise the job calculation and/or machining can be aborted.

  2. If you have a dongle from a previous version and are entitled to a free update, insert the dongle into an available USB port of your computer.
  3. If you received the installation data as a ZIP fileClosed A compressed file which contains multiple other files. Has the .ZIP file extension. ZIP files must be unzipped before use., unpack it onto the hard drive of your CAM computerClosed The computer that is connected to your machine and which runs DentalCAM and DentalCNC..
  4. Deactivate all anti malware applications and firewallsClosed Security software which monitors the network data to block harmful data. for the duration of the installation to avoid interference with the installation. Don't forget to reactivate them immediately after the installation has finished.
  5. Double-click on Setup.exe in the unzipped folder with the installation data. If Windows® asks you whether Setup.exe may make changes to your computer, select Yes.
    • The settings window opens.

    The setup window: Configure a new installation

  6. Activate the New option.
    • At the bottom of the setup window, 2 lists are shown with available languages and supported machines.
  7. Activate the Create Desktop Icon option. Otherwise, you will only be able to start the applications through the executable files (.exe files) in the installation folderClosed The folder on your hard drive that you installed DentalCAM and DentalCNC in..
  8. Activate the Install engine driver option. Without this driver, the connection to your machine will not work.
  9. (Optional) If you want to view STL files on your CAM computerClosed The computer that is connected to your machine and which runs DentalCAM and DentalCNC., select the option . The viewer is not required when working with DentalCAM and DentalCNC.
  10. (Optional) If you want to change the standard installation folderClosed The folder on your hard drive that you installed DentalCAM and DentalCNC in., enter the desired folder name in the Destination folder input field.

    11. Select a folder outside of the Program files or Program files (x86) folder or otherwise the applications will not work properly.

  11. In the Language list, select your desired user interface language. You can change this setting in the application settings at any time.
  12. In the Install for the following machine type list, select the machine type that you want to use the applications with.

    13. If you don't select the correct machine, not all required components will be installed.

  13. To start the installation, select the following icon: 
    14. NOTICE

    Incorrect job execution when the Runtime Environment is not properly installed

    If the C++ Runtime Environment is not properly installed or has been corrupted, DentalCAM may incorrectly calculate jobs or the job calculation could fail to start. This will lead to an incorrect job execution.

    • Only use DentalCAM when the C++ Runtime Environment is properly installed.
  14. Install all components with the help of the installation wizardsClosed Application which installs software on your hard drive and leads you through every single step.:
    • Select Next and Finish until the respective wizard closes.
    • The wizard for the Runtime Environment for C++ may display a message that a newer version is already installed and abort the installation. Ignore this behavior, DentalCAM and DentalCNC should run just fine.
    • If you decided to install the STL viewer, the corresponding setup wizard will ask you to agree to the license agreement. This is required to continue installing the viewer.
  15. If you install the applications for a machine with an Ethernet port, additional steps are necessary. Weitere Informationen hierzu finden Sie unter siehe hier.

    16. In some rare cases, Windows® doesn't properly install the USB driver. In these cases, you can try to install the driver manually.

    1. Open the DentalCAM /DentalCNC installation folderClosed The folder on your hard drive that you installed DentalCAM and DentalCNC in.
    2. Open the USB folder.
    3. Start the respective Setup.exe file. If Windows® asks you whether Setup.exe may make changes to your computer, select Yes.

      4. This file may be named differently, depending on your setup, for example CDM20830_Setup.exe.

    4. Follow the steps of the setup wizard until the installation is finished.
  16. Activate all your anti malware applications.

Using 1 CAM computer with multiple machines

If you want to control multiple machines with 1 CAM computerClosed The computer that is connected to your machine and which runs DentalCAM and DentalCNC., use our multi-machine control feature.

With this function, you can use up to 3 machines with 1 CAM computerClosed The computer that is connected to your machine and which runs DentalCAM and DentalCNC.. For this, you need to install multiple copies of the manufacturing softwareClosed Term for the software package consisting of DentalCAM and DentalCNC. on the computer which will be started via different colored icons.

You can use the multi-machine control feature as follows:

  1. Connect the CAM computerClosed The computer that is connected to your machine and which runs DentalCAM and DentalCNC. to your first machine.
  2. Install DentalCAM and DentalCNC.
  3. Configure DentalCNC so that it can connect to the machine. This is the first copy of the manufacturing softwareClosed Term for the software package consisting of DentalCAM and DentalCNC..
    • The machine references. The first copy is now linked to the first machine. To work with the first machine, you need to start DentalCAM or DentalCNC via the red icons.
  4. Close DentalCAM and DentalCNC.
  5. Switch off the first machine.

    6. If you don't switch off the first machine at this point, the multi-machine setup will fail.

  6. Connect the CAM computerClosed The computer that is connected to your machine and which runs DentalCAM and DentalCNC. to the second machine. Switch on the second machine.
  7. Install the manufacturing softwareClosed Term for the software package consisting of DentalCAM and DentalCNC. again into a different folder.

  8. Machines that use the SX Virtual Link to establish a connection:

    Manually establish the connection via SX Virtual Link, as described in the operating instructions.

  9. Open Windows® Explorer.
  10. Navigate to the installation folderClosed The folder on your hard drive that you installed DentalCAM and DentalCNC in. of the second copy of the manufacturing softwareClosed Term for the software package consisting of DentalCAM and DentalCNC..
  11. Open the USB folder. Open the Multi-Machine Control folder.
  12. Double-click the Blue_CAM.bat file.
    • The command prompt window opens. The file is executed.
  13. Wait until the command prompt window closes. This may take a while.

  14. Machines that use the SX Virtual Link to establish a connection:

    Manually disconnect the connection to the machine via the SX Virtual Link.

  15. Start the second copy of DentalCNC. Configure DentalCNC so that it can connect to the second machine.
    • The following happens:
      1. The machine references.
      2. The second copy of the software is now linked to the second machine.
      3. To work with the second machine, you need to start DentalCAM or DentalCNC via the blue icons.
  16. If you want to use a third machine with the CAM computerClosed The computer that is connected to your machine and which runs DentalCAM and DentalCNC., repeat steps 4 – 13 with the following differences:
    1. Switch off the first and second machine.
    2. Connect the third machine to your CAM computerClosed The computer that is connected to your machine and which runs DentalCAM and DentalCNC. and switch it on.
    3. Navigate to the USB\Multi-Machine Control folder in the third installation folderClosed The folder on your hard drive that you installed DentalCAM and DentalCNC in. and double-click the Green_CAM.bat file.

  17. Machines that use the SX Virtual Link to establish a connection:

    Manually disconnect the connection to the machine via the SX Virtual Link.

  18. Start the third copy of DentalCNC. Configure DentalCNC so that it can connect to the third machine.
    • The following happens:
      1. The machine references.
      2. The third copy is now linked to the third machine.
      3. To work with the third machine, you need to start DentalCAM or DentalCNC via the green icons.

Setting up DentalCAM to work with a server

Are you working with multiple CAM computersClosed The computer that is connected to your machine and which runs DentalCAM and DentalCNC.? Would you like to store your STL files on a centralized server, so that every CAM computerClosed The computer that is connected to your machine and which runs DentalCAM and DentalCNC. can access them? Do you want to share a large blank archive among many users / CAM computersClosed The computer that is connected to your machine and which runs DentalCAM and DentalCNC.? Here’s how you can set this up:

Do not try to create a shared folder for calculated job data to manufacture jobs on different machines using this folder. You need a designated DentalCNC installation for each machine including a folder for calculated job data. If you want to use 1 CAM computerClosed The computer that is connected to your machine and which runs DentalCAM and DentalCNC. with multiple machines, see here.

(a) Correct usage of shared network folders; (b) Incorrect usage of shared network folders

  1. Find a location for the shared STL filesCreate a shared folder for new STL files on the server and make sure that any machine running either your CAD application or /DentalCNC can access it. Give it a meaningful name, e. g. STLs-to-manufacture. When you export your STL files with your CAD application, always save them into this shared folder.

    2. You can create subfolders in the shared folder to further differentiate between the object types that you will manufacture (e. g. 'crowns', 'abutments' etc.). Just remember: The more nested your folder structure is, the more tedious it can become to manually select your STL files in DentalCAM.

  2. Configure the clientsIf you want to manually import files from the shared folder: Set the root folder to the shared folder in the AWL import view (<MadCap:xref href="GLB_CAM_Importing-STL-Files.htm#SpecifyRootFolder"><span style="font-family: 'Font Awesome 5 Pro';" class="mcFormatFamily"><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="mcFormatSize"></span></span> page 1</MadCap:xref>). If you want DentalCAM to automatically import the files in the shared folder, activate the corresponding option in the application setting .

This feature is experimental and should only be used by advanced users who are willing to take the risk of total data loss and operation interruption due to their machines, computers and their network not being operational.

  1. Find a place for the joint job archive If you want to use an existing blank archive as the basis for your shared blank archive, copy the archive folderfrom an existing DentalCAMinstallation to the server. If you want to start with an empty archive, create a shared folder with a meaningful name (e. g. Shared_blank_archive) on the server. Make sure that the folder that you copied or created can be accessed by all DentalCAM clients.

    2. Do not try to merge different blank archives by copying the content of different Archiv folders into 1 folder. This will not work because every blank needs a unique ID. Renaming the folders in the Archiv folders will not solve the problem.

  2. Configure the clients Proceed as follows on all CAM computersClosed The computer that is connected to your machine and which runs DentalCAM and DentalCNC.: In the DentalCAM program settings, set the archive folder to the shared folder you created/copied in step 1.
  3. Inform all users Inform all users of DentalCAM that only one user can edit a job (blank) at a time. Therefore, everyone must close their jobs after they have finished editing them.
  4. Make sure that the server in which the archive folder exists is available and online throughout the manufacturing process.

    5. If the server gets disconnected or if the connection to the server is not stable, machining may fail.