Because I can fit 4-5 inlays into one pressing with a small ingot, then my ingot price is down to $4 or $5 per unit.  Not rocket science, but because they have so much volume coming in it is much easier to maximize their ingot usage, along with all the other material costs associated with it.

The only way I know to accurately finish an emax inlay is to:

1) Wax up inlay over a lubricated die with die spacer, make a sharpened sprue connected to the inside of your wax up

2) Invest with a ratio allowing for a slightly looser fit than your crowns

3) Carefully devest and...[More]