Solukon has introduced the new SFM AT850 depowdering system, which has been designed to ‘set a new benchmark’ for the automated depowdering of complex metal parts.
Once the current batches have been delivered, Solukon says the SFM AT850 will replace the SFM-AT800-S and SFM-AT1000-S models.
Solukon will premiere the new machine at this year’s Formnext. The SFM-AT850 can accommodate parts weighing up to 1,000 kg, an increase of 700 kg and 100 kg, respectively, compared with the predecessor models, with dimensions of up to 650 × 650 x 800 mm. However, its overall dimensions are smaller than those of the SFM-AT800-S, saving space in production and improving the ratio of footprint to usable chamber volume.
The company has sought to increase the capabilities of its depowdering solution in line with developments in the large-format metal 3D printing segment. The increasing production of large and heavy parts, including serial production, and the dense packing of build plates with numerous parts are raising the demands placed on post-processing, Solukon says. With the SFM-AT850, Solukon has optimised the chamber volume to make it an ideal complement to large-format flagship printers, such as the EOS M 4 ONYX and the NXG XII 600 from Nikon SLM Solutions.
Among the SFM AT850’s key features are its front-top loading concept, which sees the upper door frame fold with the roof as it is opened. This allows even large and heavy parts to be flexibly loaded into the machine at the height of the rotation plate. Its ultrasonic excitation capabilities is also said to be suited for highly intricate lattice structures and for very long internal channels. This exceptionally gentle form of excitation has already proven its effectiveness in Solukon’s smaller SFM-AT350-E system for medium-sized parts and is now also available as an option for the new SFM-AT850 depowdering system in the SFM-AT850-E version.
“Automated depowdering using ultrasonics has proven itself in recent years and established itself as a genuine alternative to pneumatic excitation. With the new SFM-AT850-E, this gentle and noiseless depowdering method is now also available to our customers for larger parts,” said Andreas Hartmann, CEO/CTO of Solukon.
The SFM-AT850 is also compatible with Solukon’s SPR-Pathfinder, which calculates the perfect sequence of movements based on the part’s CAD file. This allows users to check whether the geometry can be depowdered in the design stage.
The new machine also uses Smart Powder Recuperation technology (SPR). Programmable two-axis rotation and vibration excitation make the powder flowable, allowing it to flow out of even the most complex channels. For reactive materials such as aluminium or titanium, the SFM-AT850 can be inertszed using protective gas.
New features include two additional compressed-air connections and two additional protective-gas connections on the rotation plate, which can be used, for example, for an additional blow-off system on the rotation plate. The powder can either be collected in a compatible container or safely and automatically discharged using the compatible SFM-PCU powder collection station.
The SFM-AT850 is operated via a new, large portrait-format display that can be positioned flexibly. The glove ports are ergonomically positioned at an ideal height and have been enlarged. The inside of the SFM-AT850’s door is clad in stainless steel, preventing powder from adhering to the door interior.
Solukon has also sought to make the machine easier to use, with improved production planning capabilities and different user levels with different access rights.
“For example, in a production environment, it may make sense to prevent every user from changing the basic settings of the Solukon machine. With different user levels, we can tailor operation of the Solukon machine even more closely to our customers’ needs,” said Hartmann.
In addition, individual cleaning programs, including both SPR-Pathfinder programs and custom-programmed ones, can now be managed and assigned directly on the machine with greater ease. Remote maintenance will also be available for the first time on the SFM-AT850. For particularly tall parts, the SFM-AT850 is optionally available with a long swivel arm. This enables the depowdering of parts up to 1,050 millimetres in height, making it ideally suited for parts printed using an AMCM M 4K, for example.
