Solukon Maschinenbau is adding two variants to its depowdering portfolio: the standard SFM-AT850 and the ultrasonic SFM-AT850-E.
Both systems handle parts weighing up to 1,000 kg. The E variant brings gentle ultrasonic excitation to large metal parts, a technology that was previously reserved for medium-sized components. Solukon will unveil both variants at Formnext 2026, where the company positions the SFM-AT850 as the next benchmark for depowdering large metal parts.
Large Parts, Denser Build Plates
Metal additive manufacturing has grown quickly in the large-format segment. More companies produce large and heavy components, some of them in series, and build plates are packed with more parts than before. Both trends raise the demands on post-processing. Operators need to remove powder reliably from complex geometries without turning depowdering into a bottleneck for production.
The SFM-AT850 responds with a clear increase in capacity. It accommodates parts weighing up to 1,000 kg and measuring up to 650 × 650 × 800 mm. That is 700 kg more than the SFM-AT800-S and 200 kg more than the SFM-AT1000-S. Despite the higher capacity, the overall dimensions are smaller than those of the SFM-AT800-S. This saves floor space and improves the ratio between footprint and usable chamber volume. Once the current production batches have been delivered, the SFM-AT850 will replace both the SFM-AT800-S and the SFM-AT1000-S.
Front-Top Loading for Easier Crane Handling
A key feature is the front-top loading concept, which the SFM-AT850 shares with the SFM-AT1000-S and SFM-AT1500-S. When the roof opens, the upper door frame folds upward with it. Large and heavy parts can be loaded at the height of the rotation plate instead of being lowered in from above. This makes crane loading considerably easier.
For particularly tall parts, an optional long swivel arm enables depowdering of parts up to 1,050 mm in height. According to Solukon, this makes the system well suited to parts printed on large-format machines such as the AMCM M 4K.
Ultrasonics Move Into Large-Format Production
For large parts, depowdering is a balancing act. Enough excitation is needed to free powder from internal structures, but delicate geometries must not be stressed unnecessarily. Ultrasonic excitation offers a gentler route, and Solukon has been developing it in recent years. The method has already proven itself in the SFM-AT350-E for medium-sized parts. It is particularly suited to intricate lattice structures, such as those found in medical parts, and to very long internal channels.
"Automated depowdering using ultrasonics has proven itself in recent years and established itself as a genuine alternative to pneumatic excitation," says Andreas Hartmann, CEO and CTO of Solukon. "With the new SFM-AT850-E, this gentle and noiseless depowdering method is now also available to our customers for larger parts."
Software, Powder Handling and Protective Atmosphere
Like Solukon's previous systems, the SFM-AT850 is compatible with the SPR-Pathfinder® software. Based on the CAD file of the part, the software calculates the movement sequence that the machine then executes. Users can check during the design phase whether a geometry can be depowdered and obtain an estimate of the depowdering time. This makes design for depowdering a fixed step in the additive manufacturing process chain.
The machine uses the proven Smart Powder Recuperation (SPR®) principle. Programmable two-axis rotation and vibration excitation make the powder flow so that it can leave even the most complex channels. For reactive materials such as aluminum or titanium, the chamber can be inerted with protective gas. The rotation plate offers two additional compressed-air connections and two additional protective-gas connections, which can be used for an extra blow-off system, for example. Powder can be collected in a compatible container or discharged safely and automatically via the compatible SFM-PCU powder collection station.
Operation, User Levels and Remote Maintenance
The SFM-AT850 is operated via a new, large portrait-format display that can be positioned flexibly. The glove ports sit at an ergonomic height and have been enlarged. The inside of the door is clad in stainless steel so that powder does not adhere to it.
The machine software also offers new options for production planning. Users can be assigned different 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," Hartmann explains. "With different user levels, we can tailor operation of the Solukon machine even more closely to our customers' needs." Cleaning programs, both standard SPR-Pathfinder® programs and custom-programmed ones, can be managed and assigned directly on the machine. Remote maintenance is also available for the first time on the SFM-AT850.
Positioned Alongside Large-Format Printers
Solukon positions the SFM-AT850 as a complement to large-format printers such as the EOS M4 ONYX and the NXG XII 600 from Nikon SLM Solutions. With its capacity, footprint and optional swivel arm, the system is designed to keep pace with the build volumes these machines produce.
Availability
Solukon will present both SFM-AT850 variants publicly for the first time at Formnext 2026 and will begin accepting orders. Delivery is expected by the end of Q3 2027. Visitors can see the SFM-AT850 at booth D58 in Hall 12.0.
