CNC machining and 3D printing service bureau Weerg currently relies on a wide range of machines from AM Solutions for its post-processing operations. Specifically, the S1, S2 and C1 systems, as well as the 3D automatic unpacking station that was jointly developed with HP.
The company that starts as an e-commerce business started out its AM journey with an MJF system from HP. Over time it expands its portfolio with other AM technologies.
While order processing and manufacturing of the 3D components was managed digitally early-on, numerous post processing operations still had to be done manually, which required a lot of time and personnel and produced inconsistent results.
Using the unpacking station jointly developed by HP and AM Solutions, Weerg can conduct automated and consistent unpacking of parts printed with the MJF process in continuous flow operation. Compared to manual unpacking methods the automatic unpacking station enabled Weerg to increase its productivity, and to raise the powder reclaim rate with a minimum of labor input.
Up to 65 % faster production with lower personnel costs
After a preliminary de-powdering operation, the S1 from AM Solutions, a compact plug-and-play system, is used for the automatic cleaning and surface finishing of the components. The efficient 2-in-1 concept helped not only to keep the investment costs and space requirements low, but it also reduced the energy consumption and substantially decreased processing times. While in the past, 60 minutes were required for cleaning and surface finishing of a printing job, now it only takes 20 minutes. In addition to the significant time savings, the S1 also permits a higher throughput of components. Previously, because of their size and fragility, these had to be manually post-processed. The percentage of components that can now be cleaned and finished mechanically increased from 60 to 90%. An additional benefit is that considerably less personnel are required for post processing. Instead of two people only one person is needed to do the same job. Another advantage is the easy, ergonomic handling of the ATEX compliant S1 system and the possibility to switch to manual operation for processing large, complex components.
Continuous flow shot blast machine improves operational flexibility and manufacturing capacity
In November 2022, Weerg expanded its post processing capacity with a S2 continuous flow shot blast system from AM Solutions. The S2, the first of its kind in the world, is used for the automatic cleaning and surface finishing of plastic components printed with powder-bed based printing technologies. This highly productive machine requires very little operator time and offers, therefore, tremendous potential for cost savings. Designed for 24/7 operation, the S2 handles the output of several printers. The special troughed belt made from polyurethane ensures gentle handling of the work pieces and, because of this, prevents any nicking of delicate components. This eliminates the need for costly reprints. The built-in blast media recycling and cleaning system and the automatic monitoring of the shot blast process guarantee high-quality consistent results in short cycle times, even for delicate, complex components. Weerg is utilizing the S1 and S2 machines with identical processes and blast media for a wide variety of components. This guarantees a high degree of flexibility for the post processing operation.
Support and resin removal also automated
With the purchase of a C1 system from AM Solutions – 3D post processing technology, Weerg also automated the post processing of MSLA components. The process — controlled by sophisticated software — is based on chemical, thermal, and mechanical effects. Their perfect interplay allows the consistent, gentle, and fast removal of support material and resin from difficult-to-reach surface areas, even in the case of extremely complex work pieces. In addition, the standard processing programs for different work piece groups stored in the PLC can be supplemented by their own programs. Parameters like temperature, processing time and the saturation curve of the processing media are recorded and stored by data loggers. This allows the traceability of the post processing operations and guarantees a consistently high finishing quality. The process stability and safety are further enhanced by the sensor-controlled fill level control and replenishment of the compound. Since all the eco-friendly processing media are jointly developed and produced by AM Solutions and Rösler, Weerg is able to quickly obtain compounds for practically any resin the company is using.
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