Elements on Demand, a Dutch 3D printing service supplier, has not too long ago acquired two S1 blasting programs from AM Options to scale back processing time, power consumption, and waste. Elements on Demand specializes within the collection manufacturing of finish elements and might deal with manufacturing portions flexibly, from 1 to 100,000 models. In the present day, the corporate operates eight industrial 3D printers and produces between 20,000 and 30,000 elements per week.
One of many programs is used for white elements, and the opposite for darkish elements. “We’ve got considerably extra orders to course of at the moment, and we’re additionally going through challenges such because the sharp rise in power prices,” mentioned Neil van Es, Founding father of Elements on Demand. “That’s why we have to make our processes extra environment friendly. With the post-processing options from AM Options, we have now reached a brand new degree.”
Up to now, post-processing came about in different blasting cupboards that additionally had a rotating basket. This required two separate programs: one for cleansing and one for floor ending. In the present day, this course of is automated. After unpacking, the elements printed within the powder mattress go immediately by means of the S1 blasting system, which performs each cleansing and floor ending in only one step. This reduces the required time from 45 to only quarter-hour. On the similar time, general power consumption is lowered by 15% as a result of considerably decrease compressed air demand.
Beforehand, a time-consuming sorting step was essential to take away elements that shouldn’t be given a floor end; this step is now automated. The system makes use of polybeads for blasting, that are extra sturdy and result in considerably higher outcomes. “Up to now, we used glass beads for de-powdering, however that they had a brief service life, so we ended up with much more waste,” mentioned Neil van Es. “We now go from utilizing one large pack monthly to utilizing one large pack each three months. This protects the surroundings and reduces one other price issue considerably.”
Upfront of the funding, the Elements on Demand crew was allowed to undertake rigorous testing of the S1 programs at AM Options’ expertise Buyer Expertise Centre. “We tried to push the system to its limits. Regardless of how unclean the elements had been, they all the time got here out clear,” mentioned Neil van Es. “This extraordinarily excessive efficiency, mixed with the superb help offered by our native department within the Netherlands, was a key consider our choice.’
