Case Study: Derby Dental Laboratory achieves 60% higher model throughput and streamlined solvent-free post-processing with Carbon

Derby Dental Quickly Scales to Meet Thermoforming Customer Needs

Derby Dental Laboratory, one of the largest family-run dental labs in the U.S., launched a new aligner division, Smile Shapers®, to enter the clear aligner market and needed a reliable, high-throughput production platform. Facing frequent machine downtime, variable product quality, and lengthy manual post-processing that limited throughput, Derby Dental Laboratory turned to Carbon and its digital dental solutions, notably the Carbon L1 printer and Carbon’s solvent-free post‑processing approach.

Carbon implemented the L1 printers and a centrifugal, solvent-free post-processing workflow plus a subscription-based partnership to enable scalable growth. The result: a 60% increase in production uptime, the ability to print 28 solid full-arch models in 40 minutes (vs. 8 in ~50 minutes previously), monthly capacity in the 5,000–6,500 model range, and a reduction in post-processing cycle time from 18 to 7 minutes (saving about 15 hours/week). Using Carbon’s platform Derby Dental Laboratory also achieved FDA clearance/510(k) approvals and improved product consistency and ROI while scaling their Smile Shapers business.

Derby Dental Laboratory

Nick Windlow

Director of Business Development