For more than 20 years The Lab has been producing custom-made dentures, mouth guards and snoring appliances but now it sees an opportunity in the emerging commercial and consumer 3-D printing market.
International sales manager Jeevan Verma said the company was investing about $400,000 into the technology and had partnered with Callaghan Innovation to establish a 3-D printing hub in Dunedin.
Using the latest body scanning and 3-D colour printing technology, the company will be able to create custom-made replica figurines to order, Mr Verma said.
People would be able to have almost anything printed in 3-D, including family portraits, pets, wedding cakes, and newborn babies, he said.
The scanning process uses hundreds of individual cameras and takes a matter of seconds.
It will be the first time such a service had been offered in the South Island.
The technology also has commercial and engineering applications, which the company was also exploring, Mr Verma said.
It was a natural progression for the company, which already used 3-D printing as part of its everyday operations, he said.
As well as investing in commercial 3-D printing technology the company is turning its focus to digital manufacturing of dentures.
The Lab had always tried to provide its customers with the latest technology and the company had invested about $350,000 into a new denture milling machine and 3-D scanner, Mr Verma said.
The new machines would mean faster treatment for patients, better fitting and higher quality dentures and was less invasive than traditional methods, he said.
''This is just another step in the evolution of the company which will really provide our customers with an innovative but affordable service.''
