Dutch industrial 3D printing firm Elements on Demand, based mostly in Utrecht, presents sequence manufacturing of end-use components for patrons from a number of sectors, from medical and machine instruments to meals and beverage, drones, and others. Elements on Demand makes use of selective laser sintering (SLS) know-how, and operates eight industrial 3D printers. As its techniques can deal with portions from one to 100,000 items, the corporate is busily pumping out between 20,000 and 30,000 parts for patrons every week. With roots in manufacturing and product growth, Elements on Demand additionally has loads of materials experience, and pairs this data with optimized course of parameters to print high-quality industrial components.
At that degree of sequence manufacturing, Elements on Demand must make it possible for its components are constant and repeatable, and its course of environment friendly. So the corporate turned to Rösler Group model AM Options – 3D post-processing know-how, for its automated post-processing gear.
“Now we have considerably extra orders to course of immediately, and we’re additionally going through challenges such because the sharp rise in power prices. That’s why we have to make our processes extra environment friendly,” defined Neil van Es, the Founding father of Elements on Demand. “With the post-processing options from AM Options, we now have reached a brand new degree.”
For comparability: On the left is an unprocessed part, and on the suitable is a part that has been processed within the S1. The result’s considerably greater floor high quality, which prospects now mechanically profit from.
Particularly, Elements on Demand invested in two S1 shot blasting techniques, one for darkish components and one other for white ones. The great factor concerning the S1, which has been used for 3D printed components in shopper items, automotive, supplies analysis, and extra, is that it’s a two-in-one resolution. Beforehand, this sort of post-processing occurred in two separate techniques, one among which was for cleansing, and the opposite for floor ending. With the automated S1, each processes happen in a single self-contained unit, which decreases working time from 45 minutes to fifteen minutes.
As soon as the components are unpacked from the print mattress, they go proper into the S1 blasting system. A movable tumbling basket, designed for optimum half distribution, makes for straightforward loading and unloading. Fixed rotation ensures constant cleansing and ending of printed components, and operators don’t even must manually take away parts that don’t want floor ending, as this step is now automated.
After unpacking, the components printed within the powder mattress go straight by the S1 blasting system, which cleans and finishes the floor in only one step. This has lowered the time required from 45 to only quarter-hour.
Earlier than they acquired their very own S1 machines, Elements on Demand was provided the possibility to place the system by its paces. On the AM Options Buyer Expertise Centre, the workforce extensively examined the S1 to see the way it carried out.
“We tried to push the system to its limits. Irrespective of how unclean the components have been, they at all times got here out clear. This extraordinarily excessive efficiency, mixed with the superb help offered by our native department within the Netherlands, was a key think about our resolution,” van Es mentioned.
One other characteristic that units the S1 aside is its use of polybeads for shot blasting, which assist guarantee higher floor end and are far more sturdy than their earlier resolution.
As van Es defined, “Previously, we used glass beads for de-powdering, however that they had a brief service life, so we ended up with much more waste. We now go from utilizing one large pack per 30 days to utilizing one large pack each three months. This protects the surroundings and reduces one other price issue considerably.”
Neil van Es, the founding father of Elements on Demand, is bound that, with the post-processing options from AM Options, they’ve reached a brand new degree.
AM Options says that by investing in its S1 techniques, Elements on Demand reviews greater high quality, 67% processing time financial savings, and 15% total power consumption discount, because of decrease compressed air demand.
Publish-processing has lengthy been known as the “soiled little secret” of the AM business. In line with the Additive Manufacturing Analysis report “Publish-Processing for Additive Manufacturing: Market Evaluation and Forecast,” authored by 3Degrees founder Mike Vasquez, post-processing is “a vital but usually missed a part of the general additive manufacturing workflow.” However the fact is, most of the pristine 3D printed components that you just see displayed at commerce exhibits solely look that good due to post-processing. It’s not nearly appears to be like, both—these processes might help enhance issues like materials efficiency and floor roughness.
However, the AM Analysis report additionally says that “new functions are inside attain of the present price and technical capabilities of additive manufacturing,” and maturing post-processing applied sciences play a giant half on this. So there’s hope for us but.
Photos courtesy of AM Options
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