Automation of Post Processing Operations

achieving Significant time savings

The Spanish company Aitiip Technology Center maintains a development lab for additive manufacturing. For automating the previously conducted manual post processing operation the company purchased a S1 shot blasting machine from AM Solutions – 3D post processing technology. This resulted in higher operational efficiency, better quality and increased production capacity.

As part of a large technology center Aitiip3D maintains a large development labs for additive manufacturing in Europe. This company, located in Spain, is known for custom-engineered solutions for numerous 3D printing applications, ranging from prototyping to individual finished parts. With rapidly increasing production volumes the role of post processing is becoming more important. For post processing is not only key for high-quality surface finishes but is also a significant cost factor. Pablo Murillo, Chief Development Officer at Aitiip, comments: „Before we installed the S1, all post processing operations had to be performed manually. This caused not only exceptionally high labor costs but also limited our operational flexibility. Thanks to the automatic S1 system we were able to significantly increase our production capacity.” The personnel, relieved from tedious manual post processing work, can now be used for other, more productive tasks.

Broadened scope of applications

The recently installed S1 shot blasting machine from AM Solutions – 3D post processing technology has completely changed the post processing function in the company. After unpacking the components, produced with the powder-bed-based printing technology, are directly loaded into the shot blasting machine. The S1, a 2-in-1 system, performs not only the cleaning function but also creates the final surface finish in one operation with just one processing medium. The constant rotation of the work pieces during the blast operation ensures gentle processing and absolutely consistent surface finishes. This resulted not only in significant time savings but also allows processing a much larger range of 3D printed parts. Pablo Murillo explains: “Now we can offer the parts contained in various assemblies for products already on the market as 3D printed components. With our manual post processing operation this was unthinkable. Thanks to the excellent and consistent surface finishes created by the S1 our products are now in full compliance with the customer specifications without requiring any additional processing.

Overall, the time required for post processing and the associated costs could be drastically reduced. ” Pablo Murillo continues “Bearing in mind that the average size of our parts allows to print approximatively 300 parts in each HP cake, it took between 4 to 6 hours in a manual shot blasting cabinet just to remove the powder. Now, the S1 automatic process takes only 30 minutes to deliver clean and ready to use parts.”

(Source: Rösler Oberflächentechnik GmbH)