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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Oerlikon Balzers purchases two M1 Basic systems from AM-Solutions
Oerlikon Balzers, a technology brand of the Oerlikon Group, has purchased two M1 Basic systems from AM-Solutions for its laboratory in Liechtenstein, to enable more flexibility when it comes to…
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Nonlinear Resonance Testing of metal AM Star artefact samples
When it comes to non-destructive testing (NDT), there are plenty of options to choose from, but for 3D printed metal components, the inability of those existing options to provide accurate…
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Solukon expands compatibility of SFP770 post-processing system
Solukon’s SFP770 system for polymer parts can now accommodate build boxes from other leading printers – enabling Solukon to tap new markets in the area of polymer post-processing. Furthermore, the…
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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…
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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…
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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…