Completely Burr-Free Slotting

MFE-ST Single toothed slotting tools for precise and burr-free wrench surfaces on dental implants at Schweizer Feinwerktechnik

Schweizer Feinwerktechnik GmbH, based in Bad Boll (Germany), specializes in the manufacture of high-quality dental implants. Production is carried out on CNC sliding headstock lathes, including surface treatment and multi-stage cleaning concepts. Assembly and packaging are also part of the range of services, with microbiological documentation or sterilization certificate on request.

In order to guarantee world-class manufacturing processes in the increasingly competitive medical technology sector, Schweizer Feinwerktechnik consistently uses pure titanium and titanium alloys made by renowned manufacturers. The surfaces of the implants are optimized with the aim of achieving the best biocompatibility and osseointegration. In addition, active quality management is practiced in accordance with DIN EN ISO 13485:2016.

Dental Implants: Key Components for High-Quality Dentures

Dental implants consist of several components that work together to replace missing teeth: Implant body, implant abutment, fixing screw and dental prosthesis. The implant body is surgically inserted into the jawbone as a replacement for the natural tooth root and forms a firm bond with the surrounding tissue (osseointegration). The implant abutment is a connecting structure that is placed on the implant body and forms the interface to the dental prosthesis. The fixing screw is used to connect the abutment to the implant body. The prosthesis is the visible part of the implant that replaces the missing tooth. It is important that these components are perfectly compatible and meet the highest quality standards to ensure patient safety and the success of the implantation.

Implant Bodies and Fixing Screws: Challenges and Precise Solutions

The interfaces of a dental implant play a decisive role in the stability and longevity of the dental prosthesis. Precise positioning without any play must be ensured between the implant body and abutment via a hexagon. Burrs can impair the bacterial barrier in the connection. The fixing screw as a connecting element between the implant body and abutment does not come into direct contact with the tissue in the oral cavity, but a burr-free surface is nevertheless important to avoid injuries. In addition, an exact fit of the wrench flats is a basic prerequisite for reliable assembly. For the precise and burr-free production of wrench flats on the implant bodies (grade 4) and the fixing screws Schweizer Feinwerktechnik uses single toothed slotting tools from Dieterle in Rottweil (Germany). The grade 5 titanium screws are machined on Citizen sliding headstock automatic lathes with a head diameter of 1.9 mm and a length of 9.5 mm. After drilling and boring, the 1.2 mm width across flats is tapped with a tolerance of +/-0.01 mm.

Precise and burr-free wrench flats of a fixing screw for dental implants from Schweizer Feinwerktechnik

Titanium Machining: Durable Solutions Thanks to the Right Choice of Tools and Good Cooperation

Titanium grade 5 is difficult to machine due to its high strength and low thermal conductivity.

"Only with the right tools and process parameters as well as careful process control is it possible to machine titanium effectively and burr-free. Careful matching of the tools to the respective application is crucial," explains Maik Geiger, Product Management at Dieterle. "The close cooperation with the process managers at Schweizer Feinwerktechnik plays a key role here," he continues.

Dieterle tools in use at Schweizer Feinwerktechnik

Tina Weikum, Deputy Production Manager at Schweizer Feinwerktechnik, emphasizes the importance of the collaboration and the resulting long-lasting solutions: "We like everything that lasts - this applies to dental implants as well as to business relationships and the tools we use. The good cooperation with Dieterle enables us to successfully overcome the unique challenges of machining titanium and achieve high-quality results. With Dieterle's MFE-ST single toothed slotting tools, we achieve tool lives of 10,000 parts with perfect surfaces in grade 5 titanium.”

Precise Wrench Flat Production: MFE-ST Single Toothed Slotting Tools from Dieterle

Dieterle's MFE-ST single toothed slotting tools are specially designed for the precise production of wrench flats. When they are used, the wrench flats are machined individually. This means that, in addition to standard dimensions, special widths across flats can also be realized without having to resort to special tools. The width across flats ranges of the various MFE-ST tools can be flexibly adapted to meet specific requirements. Influencing the tolerance range of the width across flats contributes significantly to increasing process reliability.

As part of the proven MINIFIX system, the MFE-ST single toothed slotting tools are characterized by a clever “V”-shaped clamping system. This clamping system shows its strengths particularly when machining small contours, as a precise placement on center height and tool change accuracy are crucial for small and miniature parts. A large number of different inserts make the MINIFIX system extremely flexible to use, whether for grooving, copy turning, threading, back boring, face grooving, combined drilling and copying, deburring or slotting. Tina Weikum comments on the MFE-ST single toothed slotting tools: "The MFE-ST tools are very easy to use and we achieve a process reliabilty with them that is second to none!" Oliver Schweizer, Managing Director at Schweizer Feinwerktechnik, adds: "We never accept the second-best solution. The cooperation with Dieterle is characterized by a very high level of expertise, and we can always rely one hundred percent on our contacts at Dieterle."

From left: Oliver Schweizer, Managing Director Schweizer Feinwerktechnik, Tina Weikum, Deputy Production Manager Schweizer Feinwerktechnik, Maik Geiger, Product Manager Dieterle