Oerlikon Balzers purchases two M1 Basic systems from AM-Solutions
The R&D department in Balzers, Liechtenstein has equipped its laboratory with the two systems for the surface treatment of conventionally and additively manufactured components
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 the surface finishing of additively manufactured components for prototypes and small series production. The all-round solution ensures high-quality surfaces, prior to and after the coating process, with a reproducible result
Oerlikon Balzers is a global provider of highly wear-resistant coatings that significantly improve the performance and service life of precision components, and cutting and forming tools. The R&D department in Balzers, where thin-film coatings and future innovations are developed, has equipped its laboratory with two M1 Basic systems from AM-Solutions for the surface treatment – before and after coating – of conventional and additively manufactured components. Balzers’ industrial PVD coatings are then applied to the components and tested for abrasion and wear in the laboratory.
Oerlikon’s production sites often have special customer requests and needs. It was therefore decided that the R&D and Production Technologies department in Balzers should also provide in-house surface finishing capabilities, through technology such as the M1 Basic systems, which helps shorten project timelines.
An advantage of the M1 Basic is that it can be integrated flexibly into external processes. It is also compact, and has an integrated process water circuit that allows it to be used independently of a fixed location.
“The M1 Basic is a system that offers a wide range of surface treatment options and is also absolutely flexible in use. For example, the work area can be divided into different segments so that different processes can run on the machine at the same time,” said Simon Kresser, Project Engineer for mechanical pre- and post-treatment at Oerlikon. This allows different sample parts to be processed in one step. It is also possible to process components with different abrasives. For example, the surface can first be scrubbed and smoothed during a roughening step with aggressive media, and then finished to a high gloss with fine polishing media.
The M1 Basic has an intelligent controller and can be used as required thanks to the integrated software solution. To limit noise disturbance in the laboratory, the M1 Basic works with a maximum of 78 decibels – about as loud as a car.
