In 3D printing post-processing, conversations about automation usually center on metal: depowdering, support removal, heat treatment. Polymer gets less attention, even though the same challenge appears as soon as production volumes grow. As Weerg’s CEO Alessandro Tenderini told us in our recent feature on polymer post-processing, “Controlled well, it’s invisible. Controlled badly, it’s the bottleneck that caps your ability to scale.”
AM Solutions – 3D post processing technology, the additive manufacturing brand of the Rösler Group, is now tackling one of those less visible tasks: feeding the prepared powder into the printer.
As you may know, in selective laser sintering (SLS), powder left over after a job can be recovered, mixed with fresh powder and reused. AM Solutions already automated most of this cycle with its D1 Unpacking System, which frees the printed parts from the surrounding powder, and its F1 Powder Handling System, which mixes, sieves and conditions the powder.
The problem is operators still move the prepared powder to the printers manually. This task also exposed them to powder.
The new Direct Feeding System (DFS) and Powder Management System (PMS) remove that step. Both are now commercially available.
The new systems remind us of a similar approach of the company in 2014, when it co-developed Stratasys’ PowderEase TI, which automates powder breakout, retrieval and dosing for up to six H350 printers.
The Direct Feeding System (DFS)
Taking the example of an EOS SLS 3D printer, AM Solutions explains that the DFS connects that 3D printer to the F1. Prepared powder is stored in a mobile container called a Polybox, and the DFS controls its flow into the printer through fixed aluminum piping up to 15 meters long. It uses the F1’s existing controls and pumps, and automatically switches between refilling the Polybox and feeding the printer.
AM Solutions has run the DFS in its own production for about ten months, with an EOS P3 NEXT printer. “Day-to-day production operations have shown that the combination of F1 and DFS enables reliable and convenient printer supply and substantially reduces the manual effort involved in powder supply,” says Ann-Kathrin Mahr, Development Engineer at AM Solutions.
Powder Management System (PMS): up to four printers, without interruption
The PMS on the other hand, is designed for production sites running several machines. It can supply up to four EOS SLS printers from two Polyboxes of 180 liters each. When one container is empty, the system automatically switches to the second, so printing continues while the first one is refilled. Lights signal when a container needs replacing. Its enclosed design, with air filtration, limits dust exposure.
EOS has already used the PMS under production conditions. “The PMS enables our customers to supply up to four EOS polymer systems with powder cost-effectively and with minimal operator intervention,” says Magdalena Schwangler, Senior Product Manager Polymer at EOS.
Post-processing for polymer 3D printing is advancing, and we do not always pay attention. We have now passed the time where the focus was only on the part using automated devices like cleaning, blasting, smoothing, coloring.
These launches remind the importance of material in the manufacturing value chain, underscoring how serial production depends on a fleet that is always filled with powder.
The only limitation we see now is that they are only available for EOS SLS printers.
Both systems will make their trade show debut at Formnext next month.
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