Export

Export

It's useless to acquire, align and convert data if this information can not be sent to other software. The export functions can be used to create files that can then be imported in other software.

OpticalRevEng Dental offers 2 different export types: Manual and Automatic. Manual exports can be used anytime and in any kind of project; Automatic exports are specific to a project. The automatic export's functions can be configured in the Options dialog.

Formats

OpticalRevEng Dental supports the following formats:

• Acquisitions
  • 'Scan' : this export function will create a file (.cri) for every 3D image taken by the scanner and an additional file (.scan) with a data description. It can be used only by OpticalRevEng Dental and all the files need to be kept together.
  • 'ZScan' : this export function saves the same information as the Scan export function, but compressing everything in one single file.
• Meshes
  • 'STL ASCII/Binary' : the STL file format is the most used. Most of the 3D software can read/save STL files. It does not save all the information of the 3D Objects, such as their color or the connection between every single face, therefore two different software can read the same STL file and show different results.
  • 'OFF ASCII' : the OFF format is a really simple file format as described here [OFF Format]. It keeps more information than the STL format.
  • 'PLY ASCII/Binary' : the PLY format, as the OFF format, can contain more information about the 3D data but is not so well supported by other software.
  • 'OBJ' : The OBJ format is only ASCII, it can keep the most information about the 3D data, even the color, and is compatible with most softwares.

If maximum compatibility is needed, the best format to use is the STL. If the objective is to keep the most accurate 3D data, the OBJ format is better.

Manual Export

There are two ways to save the Acquisitions and the Meshes on disk.

Single Object Export

To export a single element from the project:

1. Right click on the element in the Project Tree
2. Select Export.. from the Context Menu
3. From the dialog that will pop up, select where to save the file, its name and format for the data.

Multi Object Export

To export more than one element of the project in the same file:

1. Select from the Project Tree all the data that have to be exported together
2. From the File menu, select the Export Visible function
3. From the dialog that will pop up, select where to save the file, its name and format for the data.

Automatic Export

To use the automatic export function, click on the Export To CAD button in the Main Toolbar. The software will then export all the project data, according to the selected "Exporter Profile".

Exporter Profile

An exporter profile is a set of parameters that tells the software how to export the data for a specific Cad system.

It is possible to modify, add or rename exporter profiles in the Options.

If only one profile called "default" is available, it will be used automatically when clicking the Export To CAD button.

If more than one profile are available, a pop up will ask to select what profile to use.

By holding the Export Dialog will open and it will be possible to change the export profile only for that specific export.

Formats

The software exports 3d shapes of the acquired data, 2d images to document the articulation, and can export a thumbnail for every 3d object.

In this section it is possible select which format to use.

Check with the cad system in use which of the formats is more appropriate.

Options

Merge dies with healthy parts 

If this option is enabled the software will merge all the dies and the healthy parts and export only one file for the entire jaw, if it's disabled the software will export one file for every die and one file for the healthy parts of the jaw

Export implantPosition files 

If this option is enabled the software will export a special "implantPosition" file with the information about the alignment of an implant marker that can be imported by Exocad.

Cad Integration

Executable Path 

Select here the path to the Cad software to automatically launch it after exporting the data

Cad project extension 

Input the extension of the Cad project so the software can invoke the cad with the right project file

Auto Start Cad 

Check this box to start the Cad automatically after exporting the data

Auto Close Software 

Check this box to automatically close the scan software after exporting the data

Export Path

This section allows to choose where the exported files will be saved. There are 3 different path selections

Automatic 

The software will choose automatically the export folder. This can work in 2 ways. If you've selected a Cad project extension the file will be exported in the folder with the cad project if available. If no cad project extension is selected the file will be exported in the scan project folder

Ask 

The software will ask you for the export folder every time

Fixed Folder 

The software will export to the same folder every time.

If you check "Auto Open Export Folder" the software will automatically open the export folder after the export of the data

File Name Generator

This section let you choose how the software will name the exported files. There are 2 different generators

Default 

This generator will use the "Exocad" name format "projec name-reference jaw-item name-teeth.extension"

User Pattern 

This generator will let you choose how the name will be created using some special tag that will be replaced for every item

An example of a user pattern is "%m/%p/%d/%j-%k-%t"

In a project with 2 stump on the lower jaw and an antagonist the exporter will:

• Create a folder with the name of the doctor
• Create a sub-folder with the name of the patient
• Create a sub-folder with the actual date
• Save the stumps as lowerjaw-stump-36.stl and lowerhaw-stump-35.stl
• Save the healthy parts as lowerjaw-healthy.stl
• Save the antagonist as upperjaw.stl

Available In

Every export profile can work in one or more different kind of projects.

The checkboxes let you choose in which project this profile will be used.

Export Final Translation

Every system need to choose a reference in the space for the position of the objects. Our system use this reference:

• XY Plane as the Occlusion Plane.
• YZ plane as the Symmetric Plane.

This is the same reference system used by Exocad.

Many orthodontic software use the following reference:

• XZ Plane as the Occlusion Plane
• XY Plane as the Symmetric Plane

Here you can select the reference system used by you scan system and the exported file will be in the selected reference position.