Post-Processing
As additive manufacturing technologies experience greater use for batch, serial and mass part production, post-processing becomes increasingly relevant. Our main focus at 3dpbm is on digital additive part production—a market for which we have coined the acronym DAMP—so the need to produce fully finished parts and the enabling technologies to achieve this via AM have always represented a key area of interest.
One of the biggest hurdles to greater adoption of AM in production was always a tendency to underestimate the impact of cost-effectively post-process large series of prints. On unique, ultra-high-value parts such as prototypes and tools, post-processing is a relatively minor concern. But when it comes to post-process tens, hundreds and even thousands of parts in a few days, the challenges grow exponentially.
Producing fully finished parts presents significant challenges in the polymer AM market and it presents even bigger challenges in metal AM and ceramics AM. So much so that even metal PBF technologies, where part sintering/fusion takes place during the printing process, resulted more time-consuming in terms of their post-processing phase than binder jetting technologies, where debinding, infiltrations and sintering are all carried out as additional post-processes.
The segment for AM post-processes differs for each major technology but can be generally intended as including these main areas: Powder Removal and Sieving systems, Debinding and Sintering systems, Material and Parts Handling systems, Measurement and Inspection systems, Support Removal systems, and Thermal Treatment/UV Curing systems.
Today there is a much greater awareness of the various post processes that are required in all AM technologies, both through operators such as AM Solutions, PostProcess Technologies, AMT, Solukon and D-Lyte (among others) that focus specifically on automating AM and several other companies specializing in automated post-process solutions for injection molding and other traditional technologies now looking more closely at the AM market.
In this month’s AM Focus we will highlight many of these companies and their capabilities. For a full list of companies specializing in the various phases of pre- and post-processing AM solutions, make sure to visit the 3dpbm Index’s dedicated section on Automation and Post Process companies here.
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Puntozero collaboration proves effectiveness of Theta’s NDT
Theta Technologies’ development of a nonlinear acoustic non-destructive testing method looks set to become a game-changer for additive manufacturers looking to push the boundaries of geometric design. With Theta’s nonlinear resonance NDT becoming a topic of discussion within the additive manufacturing community, 3dpbm helped to spot and enable the perfect…
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Sauber Technologies extends partnership with AM Solutions
Sauber Technologies has extended its technology partnership with AM Solutions. The partnership, which was sealed in 2021, has been prolonged for two additional years, thanks to the valuable and trustful business relationship that has been providing both parties with reportedly excellent results. The automated post-processing of additively manufactured parts is…
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Cubicure presents industrial polymer post-processing
After launching a novel 3D printing system that enables the stereolithographic production of industrial batch sizes, last year, Austrian 3D printing company, Cubicure, has now developed a cleaning solution for the industrially-scalable post-processing of additively manufactured polymer components – further improving the sustainable use of material and occupational safety, as well…
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Solukon delivers 200th metal depowdering system
SWISSto12, a company that operates in the aerospace industry as a manufacturer of satellite components, is receiving Solukon’s 200th metal AM post-processing system, the SFM-AT800-S reflects the trend that Aerospace is currently the primary industry for automated depowdering. “Aerospace is the industry with the most Solukon systems in the field,…
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AMT launches PostPro Pure for green vapor smoothing chemistry
AMT, a leading manufacturer of automated post-processing technology, has announced the launch of a new sustainable FDA-approved chemistry for vapor smoothing 3D printed parts. The PostPro Pure patent-pending for green vapor smoothing chemistry is now available for AMT’s PostPro Surface Finishing (SF) systems. AMT’s green chemistry replacement, known as PostPro…
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AM Solutions’ C1 machine arrives at customer experience center
AMSolutions – 3D post-processing technology UK has taken delivery of its C1 system, which will reside in the company’s customer experience center in Knowsley, UK. The C1 now sits alongside an array of AM post-processing solutions in Knowsley, and customers are invited to come and see the company demonstrate and…
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