Sirona Dental Systems GmbH is recognised as a world leader in dental technology and employs over 1,600 people in Germany , as well as at 14 other international locations. The present company was founded in 1997 as a result of a private equity buyout of the former dental division of Siemens

AG. In 1998, Sirona restructured itself to concentrate solely on manufacturing activities. As it turned out, the focussing on its core strengths was to yield positive growth in spite of a difficult and, at times,turbulent market environment. This was realised in the 2003/2004 financial year,during which the Sirona Group achieved record sales of 320 million Euros.

All divisions represent the cutting-edge of modern dental treatment, research and development. In early 1950, Sirona was one of the first companies to launch filmbased panoramic X-ray systems and has been consistently breaking new ground in the area. More recently the company has pioneered digital Panoramic and Cephalometric X-ray. Several thousand CCD-based Sirona X-ray systems have now been installed in dental practices worldwide providing significant advantages over traditional film-based patient examination systems. Another example of the company's pioneering nature was the introduction of the .InLab. system, which made Sirona an instant leader in CAD/CAM Systems in the laboratory market. And these are just a few examples of the many varied 'treatment centers' , . handpieces. and other highly innovative products the company has to offer. One of Sirona's strengths has always been its decision to undertake product development and manufacturing entirely in-house, at its corporate headquarters in Bensheim , Germany .

Of course no manufacturer can succeed without the support of specialist dealers and partners. Sirona's desire to be a market leader has led to a unique partnership with another market leader, Germany 's leading test solution provider, Digitaltest GmbH, who provide the MTS300 Sigma test platforms and software for Sirona's manufacturing operations. Norbert Göller, leader of Sirona.s Electronics Manufacturing Center ,describes the relationship. .As a well-known manufacturer of medical products, testing, of course, plays a crucial role. At the Electronics Center we endeavour to deliver products of perfect quality to our customers. The supervision of our production process cannot be done without in-circuit testing (ICT) and this is the primary role for the MTS300 Sigma systems. However, the wishes of our customers to test different functions, such as onboard-programming, are becoming more and more important to us. It was this requirement that led us to work more closely with Digitaltest.

A key factor that influenced us in the selection of Digitaltest and the Sigma test platform they supply was that the system should be flexible enough to enable us to react to a wide range of testing needs on future projects. Furthermore, the cost of investment as well as costs for the operational procedures have to be taken into consideration (costs for adapters,costs for the manufacturing of programmes, costs of maintenance and so on). Digitaltest met these requirements without compromising on performance.. Of course quality, reliability and safety are paramount when the end product includes potentially harmful X-rays. Sirona conforms to stringent quality standards, certified to ISO 13485 and ensures that, at every stage of the development, production and testing of PCBs potential errors are realized and corrected as quickly as possible. .Individuality is also a vital part of our company philosophy,. says Göller. .Different markets have different needs,which is why we offer dental practices, clinics and laboratories a wide spectrum of individual solutions, often manufactured with features and functions tailor-made to suit their requirements. .The boards we are currently testing with the MTS300 have an average of 400 components and 160 networks. The configuration provides 384 MUX and 192 hybrid pins.

Most tests consist of all three test types(analog, digital and functional).Programming hardware (MPF) has now been added to the test system, so we can also program chips. .However, the main emphasis is on functional operation. Our load rack includes an AC/DC source and electronic loads. This load rack makes it possible to test the boards under nearly real conditions. The entry-level project is supplied with 220 VAC and loaded to 1.6 kW. This way, we can deliver the units to our service department without a subsequent system test. .MTS300 Sigma helps us create these solutions quickly and in combination with the CAD-Software C-LINK and the tester software CITE we have the depth and capabilities to produce board tests at a very cost-effective price. In addition, the testability report option helps us optimize our processes and plan test strategies for the future.. The MTS300 Sigma has been designed to meet the demands of today's manufacturers: flexibility, high fault coverage and easy programming. As a result of its unique modular design, the platform can be optimally configured for current needs and remain open to wide ranging future expansion including analog and digital In-Circuit Test capabilities, Vectorless Testing, Functional Test, Boundary Scan and On-Board Programming. Changes to individual test methods, as well as to the number of tester pins, can be performed easily and this, along with its high throughput makes the MTS300 one of the most future-proof of today's generation of test platforms. The system is enhanced by the Computer Integrated Test Environment (CITE) which offers numerous tools to accelerate test development and execution, guaranteeing test quality and shortening time-to-test.

C-LINK was the first product to link CAD, test, repair and production in a single platform. Linking design to test and production greatly reduces time-to-market, cuts costs, and improves production quality which in turn improves profitability. The working relationship between the two companies is, by necessity, very close. As Göller explains, .Technical and programming support is quickly available,especially in service and in prototype testing with flying probe systems, where every application can involve new test parameters and challenges.. Equally important is each company's commitment to innovation. In the future,digital networking will play a fundamental role in dental practices, clinics and laboratories - influencing everything from treatment to patient management. Sirona is placing great emphasis on the research and development of digital, networkcapable dental equipment and, once again, Digitaltest will be able to offer high performance modules to test these new technologies as they emerge.As Göller sums up, .As an in-house electronics manufacturer we have to guarantee best prices, high flexibility and reliability. We are planning to introduce new ICT-systems and functional testers over the coming years to maintain our position and meet our customers' growing needs. The relationship with Digitaltest has created a solid foundation for future growth and success and is an important part of our goal of constantly striving to find new ways of making the best much better and helping to shape the future of dental technology around the world.