I recently had the pleasure of catching up with Cory Lambertson and Bryce Hiller from Asiga on the Digital Dentistry Decoded podcast ... these guys woke up at 5 AM to chat with me! That's dedication right there.
What struck me most about our conversation wasn't just the sheer number of releases Asiga dropped at IDS (spoiler: it was a lot), but how they're clearly thinking about the real problems clinicians and labs face daily.
After testing their products in my own practice and seeing the direction they're heading, I had to share my thoughts.
Listen to the entire podcast below or keep reading for the summary
The PrintPods: Asiga's Answer to Chairside 3D Printing
Let's address the elephant in the room - yes, this looks like a direct response to Midas. And you know what? There's no shame in that. When I asked Cory and Bryce directly about this, they didn't dodge the question. Instead, they explained something far more interesting.
"The main problems in the clinical market we see is that clinicians that wanna produce and fabricate chairside restoration extremely fast, they want it to be extremely easy and they need to be hygienic and clean," Cory explained.
Unlike other the Midas cartridges, Asiga's PrintPods are reusable up to five times. This is a pretty bold attack on Sprintrays vision especially considering cost per unit.
Bryce put it like this: "When you have a cartridge that can only be used one time, your cost per unit skyrockets compared to if you had a cartridge that you could use multiple times. With our PrintPods, your cost per unit is going to be really low. It could be anywhere from $6 to 10."
The pods themselves will range from $20-35 each depending on the material. As Bryce pointed out, "$35 bucks to try out a pod is a pretty easy sell compared to a $600 bottle of material that you may or may not even like."
What Makes PrintPods Different?
Having tested various chairside solutions, here's what caught my attention:
- Open material system - You're not locked into Asiga's resins
- Compatible with existing Max printers - No need for a dedicated machine
- 80% ceramic-filled materials - apparently these are coming.
- No build platform hassles - The cartridge contains everything
- Prefilled cartridges - No pouring or mixing required
The ability to use this on any Max printer is clever. As Bryce noted, "Now you have one machine that can do it all, and it does it all very well."
The material partners are impressive too. Cory confirmed partnerships with "Keystone, VITA, VOCO, PAC Dent, Dentsply, Pro3dure, Dentona" - essentially every company making permanent crown materials for 3D printing. They're even working with composite manufacturers who haven't traditionally been in the 3D printing space.
For older Max printers with the clamping system, there's a conversion process to make them PrintPod compatible. They're ensuring backwards compatibility across their entire Max lineup. Fascinating how Sprintray has impacted the industry with the Midas, with many other companies needing to provide a answer.
The Cure Unit: Solving the "Two-Potato Problem"
This might be the most innovative release that nobody's talking about enough. Asiga identified something I hadn't even considered - the "two-potato problem."
Bryce explained it: "Let's say you want a baked potato and you wanna just throw it in the microwave... hit the timer for five minutes. When it comes out, it's cooked. What happens if your husband or your wife or your kids also want a baked potato? Now you need to make three and you throw them in the microwave, you hit five minutes, they come out, they're not cooked."
The same thing happens with curing units. When you put multiple objects in, they compete for the same photons. Asiga's solution? Dose curing that automatically adjusts based on what's in the chamber.
Key Features of the New Cure:
- Automatic dose adjustment using four internal sensors
- Built-in vacuum pump instead of requiring nitrogen tanks
- Airtight chamber that saves nitrogen if you do need to use it
- Consistent shade output across all units
"Regardless of the curing unit from Asiga, regardless of where it's located or what company has it, if your material's supposed to be an A1, it's gonna be A1," Cory emphasized.
New Software - Asiga Funnel and Genira
The Funnel: AI-Powered Automation
Think of it as your personal lab technician that never sleeps. Upload your STL files, and it:
- Automatically categorizes files
- Groups similar items together
- Handles orientation, supporting, and nesting
- Sends jobs to available printers
- Provides fleet management control
"It does essentially all the work that a technician would have to do with managing the composer software and uploading builds. And it does it all automatically," Cory explained.
The software is rolling out regionally - Southern hemisphere first in Q3, North America in Q4. They're also building integrations with design services like Evident, 3Shape Automate, and Dentbird, creating a complete automated workflow from design to print.
Genira: Finally, a Model Builder
After Medit started charging for their model builder, everyone's been scrambling. Asiga's answer is Genira - an AI model building software that integrates with their workflow.
When I pressed them on pricing (because let's be real, nobody wants to pay for model builders), they hinted at keeping it "surprisingly inexpensive."
Here's hoping they listened to my suggestion about bundling it with resin purchases.
New Materials at Competitive Prices
Four new materials are also coming, all priced at $175 per kilogram:
- DentaTRAY Orange - addressing the contrast issue with blue tray materials
- DentaRETAINER - Hard clear resin for Hawley-style retainers
- DentaSPLINT - Soft splint material that relaxes at body temperature
- DentaFLEX - Flexible RPD resin
That pricing is aggressive, making these "some of the most profitable materials for you as a clinician or for a dental laboratory," as Cory noted.
The Aligner Printing Reality Check
I had to ask about direct aligner printing - it's the unicorn everyone's chasing. Bryce's response was refreshingly honest:
"I love the idea of printing aligners and I think we're gonna get there. I'm not worried about long-term having a good solution, but it's challenging... I think what a lot of people have realized is that when it comes to their time, it still kind of makes more sense to just print the model."
Having tried printed aligners myself (they're literally sitting behind me as I write this), I can confirm - they look clear initially but turn cloudy after three days in the mouth. Not exactly the patient experience we're aiming for. I am sticking with thermoforming for now.
The Complete Asiga Portfolio Explained
During our chat, I asked for clarity on Asiga's printer lineup because even I was getting confused. Here's the breakdown:
Max Series: The compact powerhouse - "the ultimate chairside printer" as Bryce called it
- Small footprint for space-constrained clinics
- Now with slide-lock mechanism
- Enhanced heating up to 50°C (vs 30-35°C on older models)
Ultra Series: The desktop production machine
Ultra 50: 50-micron pixels, larger build platform
Ultra 32: 32-micron pixels, smaller platform but higher accuracy
Twice the build plate size of the Max
Pro 4K: The lab workhorse
- Freestanding high-volume production
- Largest build plate in the lineup
"All of our machines utilize the same technology," Bryce explained.
"The main difference is gonna be production capacity."
Crown Kit: Better Late Than Never
Yes, Asiga was late to the crown kit party. I'll be that guy who says "what took so long?" But they delivered something finally:
- Compatible with all Max and Ultra machines
- Significantly faster printing (6-12 restorations in 10-15 minutes)
- Smaller material investment (use 100ml bottles instead of full kilograms)
- Backwards compatible with older machines
What This Means for Your Practice
After extensively discussing these releases, here's my take on what matters:
For Clinicians:
- PrintPods offer the cleanest, most efficient chairside printing workflow for restorations. Taking a page out of the Midas book and offering an Asiga solution. Cartridge based printing will probably be a new trend.
- The cure unit solves consistency issues you didn't know you had
- Crown kit finally here for those that dont want to use cartridges
For Labs:
- Funnel software could save hours of nesting time
- New materials at $175/kg improve profit margins
- Pro 4K remains the production powerhouse
Is Cartridge Printing Here to Stay?
When I asked whether capsule printers are the future, Cory provided some interesting history: "Cartridge 3D printing is not new. 3D Systems released a cartridge printer called the Project 1200... like 10 years ago." He also mentioned Dfab by DWS, which despite having innovative multi-layer technology, "didn't really take off."
The key difference now? Market maturity and open systems.
"With the closed system machines, you just won't have access to it," Cory explained, referring to the innovative materials from established composite manufacturers entering the 3D printing space.
Looking Ahead: AI and Openness
When I asked about industry trends, both Cory and Bryce emphasized two key themes:
Bryce on AI: "I'm excited about AI advancements... I think it's going to be a net good. I think we're gonna see the winners rise to the top."
Cory on openness: "Always invest in open, whether it's your 3D printer or it's your intraoral scanner... make sure it's open so you're not locked in with anything and you'll ultimately be happier in the long run."
The Missing Piece: Where's the Wash?
I had to ask about the wash unit - it's been Asiga's Achilles heel for years.
Cory's response was honest: "It's in the works, but you're absolutely right. We just don't wanna have a me too product."
They're targeting next year for release, and until then, Cory still recommends ultrasonic cleaners as "the cheapest solution for cleaning your parts, and it's actually one of the most effective."
For the PrintPods specifically, they're developing something cleverer - the "pod wash." It's essentially a test tube where you place the magnetic stem with your printed restoration, add cleaning solution, shake for 10 seconds, and you're done. This eliminates the extended alcohol exposure that can cause the white powdery defect on ceramic resins.
Final Thoughts
IDS 2025 proved that Asiga isn't content being "just" a lab printer company anymore. They're making serious moves into chairside dentistry while maintaining their commitment to open systems.
The PrintPods system represents a philosophical shift. According to Cory, we'll see "some materials closest to the end of the year" with "the more exciting and more innovative materials at the beginning of next year." Regional regulatory differences mean Europe (MDR) might see slightly later releases than FDA or TGA regions.
It's not just about competing with Midas - it's about solving the problems of inventory management, cleanliness, and cost-effectiveness that have held back chairside 3D printing adoption. It is no doubt amazing to see how Sprintray has influenced 3D printing in dentistry.
Make no mistake - the landscape of dental 3D printing is changing rapidly. Companies that listen to clinicians and iterate based on real-world feedback will win. Based on what I've seen, Asiga's been listening.
Want to dive deeper? Listen to the full podcast episode where we discuss everything from the technical details of dose curing to why printing aligners still isn't quite there yet. New episodes drop every two weeks on the Digital Dentistry Decoded podcast.
