Portal
Interview with Markus Ewertz, KaVo Application Technician about the KaVo Everest Portal
Since the summer of 2009, KaVo Biberach has offered a free software module with the "KaVo Everest Portal", which allows the sending and receiving of CAD design data, through global networking. Markus Ewertz, manager of KaVo Application Technology, explains in an interview how dental labs can use the "Everest Milling Community" to their benefit.
Mr. Ewertz, the "Everest Portal" is of interest to which labs?
The portal is of interest to Everest system owners, whose machines still have free capacity and of course, also for labs which do not wish to, or cannot invest in, a complete CAD/CAM system for various reasons and therefore limit themselves to acquiring a scanner.
On the one hand, Everest Labs can offer their free capacity via the portal. On the other, scan labs have the opportunity to use these free capacities, in order to embrace the well-known Everest 5-axes milling technology and take advantage of the wide variety of milling materials. The grinding partners can be selected according to different criteria such as price, delivery time or region.
Labs with an open 3-shape scanner, which does not necessarily have to be from KaVo, can also send data to any KaVo Everest engine, e.g. to expand their material portfolio, or to create complex geometries, which they cannot create with their own machine.
Another advantage of the portal is the possible integration of external partners into the Everest system. As part of a collaboration with BEGO, for example, the LASER sintering method can be used.
What prerequisites does a dental lab have to meet, to become a member of the "Everest Milling Community"?
For technical reasons of course, an Internet connection, DSL if at all possible and a PC with at least Windows XP, are required. The Internet portal software can be downloaded at no charge, from the KaVo Support page. For quality assurance reasons, Everest milling partners must have installed the latest Everest software on their system. The Everest Hotline is happy to help with the integration of a 3-shape scanner, not supplied by KaVo.
Why doesn't KaVo do its own milling?
KaVo previously had the function of a system supplier and gained a large number of partners among laboratories. It is important for us to continue to support these partners and not to act as a competitor to them with our own milling centre and thereby obtain added-value from these labs.
What is the daily routine at the lab like?
The milling lab places its services and offers on the portal. Here a distinction is made, primarily according to different materials. The duration of the offer should also be indicated. The scanner lab designs its objects as usual, seeks an appropriate milling partner using the Everest Portal and finally sends the data to the milling lab via the portal.
In addition, the portal also allows e-mail correspondence between the partners, so that special requirements can be communicated between them. Essentially, KaVo only provides the connection between the partners and provides an appropriate platform for the exchange. The further process steps are organised independently and without the influence of KaVo.
How many users does the portal already have? How intensively is the portal already used?
The number of visits to the portal varies greatly. There are times when there is steady data traffic and also quieter times, because work is being performed with in-house systems, for example.
What is the supply to demand ratio? Is there not an excessive supply of milling capacities?
It is correct that there is an imbalance in the supply/demand ratio. On the German market, there is currently an excess of free milling capacity. That was exactly one of the starting points in the development of the portal. We support our customers with this platform, to maximise the capacity of their existing systems, because free capacity can be offered via the portal and new scanners can be integrated into the Everest system.
You work very closely with the customer, also on the Service Hotline. Which problems occur most frequently, how quickly can you help?
You cannot generalise so much to answer these questions, because THESE problems no longer exist. The reason for this on one hand, is that Everest systems have become quite sophisticated and that dental technicians have gained extensive knowledge, working with CAD/CAM during this period. Unfortunately, it happens again and again, that zirconium oxide is not used correctly in terms of the material and its performance envelope, despite these parameters being well-known to dental technicians. Regretfully, failures are predestined as a result. To a large extent, we can prevent these cases in advance, because we can assess designs using our remote maintenance for example and can thereby try to avoid such errors.
And what have the responses/actions of customers been, to the new offering?
So far we have only had positive responses to this network; not least due to the fact that the portal can be used for free and the individual labs can select an unlimited number of partners. The ability to produce chrome-cobalt alloy structures in a cost-effective manner, using the LASER sintering method, was particularly well-received by our customers.