PostProcess Technologies Inc. has been granted another U.S. patent for its automated 3D printing post-processing solutions. This patent, U.S. Patent No. 10,737,440, pertains to the company’s support removal process, specifically its Submersed Vortex Cavitation (SVC) technology.
The company’s SVC technology is one of its polymer support removal and resin removal solutions for 3D printing. The now-patented process functions in combination with PostProcess’ patent-pending detergents and proprietary software to remove supports in a uniform and reliable way. SVC ensures that 3D printed parts are evenly exposed to the detergent and cavitation for consistent results.
SVC technology is integrated in several PostProcess systems, including its CENTI, FORTI and DEMI solutions. It is made up of a few components, including the aforementioned detergents, which dissolve the support material; a vortex pumping scheme that rotates the part while submerged in the detergent; variable ultrasonics which agitate the detergent to cause cavitation resulting in faster processing time; and AUTOMAT3D software, which precisely controls each of the hardware components and SVC’s energy sources.
The patent in question, “Apparatus and Method for Support Removal,” was filed in June 2016 and was issued on August 11, 2020. It is one of over 50 patents that the Buffalo, NY-based company has filed across the world, which cover its entire finishing solution, including software, hardware and chemistry. Postprocess is currently awaiting patents for its SVC process in other countries around the world.
“The issuance of this patent is confirmation of the ground-breaking work we’ve undertaken over many years here at PostProcess,” said Daniel J. Hutchinson, inventor of SVC technology and Founder and CTO of PostProcess Technologies. “We’re dedicated to innovating cutting-edge solutions that will transform our customers’ workflows and enable additive manufacturing for Industry 4.0.”
PostProcess Technologies has made impressive progress in growing its distribution network over the past year or so. In the months before COVID-19 took over the world, the company announced reseller agreements with Russian company Z-Axis, K.K. IRISU in Japan and several others in Europe and the United States.
