AM Solutions will show three trend-setting machines. The S1 Wet was specifically developed for the removal of residual powder and the surface homogenization and smoothing of metallic 3D components. The S2 is a shot blast machine for treating 3D printed components made from polymers in indexing, continuous flow mode. The C2 system offers chemical surface smoothing and application of a color dye in one machine.
The automated post-processing and surface finishing solutions will be in Hall 12, booth C 119. The new systems were specifically developed for volume production of 3D printed components made from metal and plastic.
The wet blast machine, S1 Wet, was specifically developed for post-processing 3D printed components made from metal. Besides the removal of residual powder, the compact plug and play system also allows surface homogenization and smoothing. Depending on the surface roughness of the raw components, the S1 Wet can produce low Ra values. To a certain extent, this is even possible on the surface areas of internal passages and/or cavities. The wet process prevents small metal particles removed from the workpieces, dust, and shavings from creating a combustible or explosive mixture. Therefore, it does not require the installation of protective ATEX accessories. The water layer created on the part’s surface prevents abrasive media inclusions. As an option, an integrated wastewater recycling system consistently removes any contaminants from the slurry consisting of blast media and water limiting the water consumption. The S1 Wet system can be used for a variety of post-processing tasks ranging from the manual processing of single components to fully automatic batch operation.
With the ATEX compliant S2 shot blast machine, workpieces are gently passed through a special troughed belt in single-piece flow. This allows the complete removal of any residual powder. Depending on the blast media, the workpiece surface can also be homogenized or peened. The blast media cleaning and recycling system, integrated into the plug and play system, is a major reason for achieving clean and repeatable results. It ensures that the blast media remains at a consistently high quality. A patent application covering the machine and the process is pending.
The design of the C2, presented at formnext as a concept solution, is based on Rösler’s comprehensive know-how in the fields of equipment building and consumables. The C2 system allows the fully automatic chemical surface smoothing of 3D printed components made of common polymers and elastomers (including TPU) in series. Thus, single-piece handling of the workpieces is eliminated for this post-processing operation. In addition, a future, retrofittable update will also allow the application of a color dye on the workpieces.
The non-hazardous processing media, developed by AM Solutions – 3D post-processing technology, permits the eco-friendly chemical surface smoothing so that the spent media can be easily disposed of without any environmental restrictions. The new C2 will be available commercially in the first quarter of 2022.
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