(21st June 2023, Knowsley, Merseyside, UK.) AM Solutions, a pioneering company specializing in post processing technologies for additive manufactured (AM) parts, recently showcased its cutting-edge solutions at the highly anticipated TCT 3Sixty trade show.
The event proved to be a resounding success, as attendees demonstrated a profound awareness of the various post-processing techniques available, but also demonstrated a growing appreciation that the company’s mass finishing and shot blasting technologies were emerging as the preferred solutions among industry professionals due to their unparalleled benefits and efficiency.
Colin Spellacy, Head of Sales at AM Solutions UK said, “AM Solutions’ presence at TCT 3Sixty proved to be a game-changer, as our state-of-the-art post processing solutions received an overwhelming response. Many of our post-processing solutions are adapted from tried and tested mass finishing and shot blasting technologies that have served traditional industry well for decades, and when developed specifically for AM offer highly efficient and effective ways to achieve exceptional surface quality, precise edge rounding, and uniformity for AM parts. The audience was seemingly extremely impressed by the range of post-processing solutions we have to offer, and the exceptional results that we are able to achieve.”
From its extensive range of post-processing solutions, AM Solutions showcased it M1 Basic mass finishing solution, its S1 and S1 Wet shot blasting machines, and its C1 chemical post-processing machine at TCT3Sixty.
The M1 Basic promotes superior surface finish of metal or plastic work pieces in a cost-effective and repeatable fashion, and demonstrates how mass finishing technologies excel in eliminating layer lines, burrs, and other surface imperfections on AM parts, resulting in a flawless finish that enhances both aesthetics and functionality. Mass finishing is also efficient and cost-effective, its ability to process large batches of parts simultaneously drastically reducing production time and costs compared to labour-intensive methods like manual sanding or polishing.
Mass finishing techniques also ensure consistent and uniform surface finishes across all AM parts, eliminating variations that may arise from manual processes, and are also compatible with a wide range of AM materials, including metals and plastics, making them ideal for various industries and applications. Unlike some alternative post-processing technologies, mass finishing also preserves the integrity of complex geometries, and is highly repeatable and accurate, and also plays to the automation of the AM process chain, a must when seeing AM as a viable production technology moving forward.
The S1 (a smart solution for cleaning and surface finishing of parts from powder bed fusion [PBF] AM technologies in one step) and S1 Wet (a versatile wet-blasting solution — no compliance with ATEX regulations required — for cleaning and finishing surfaces on metal and plastic parts) show the usefulness of shot blasting technologies for AM parts.
Shot blasting technologies are well suited to the post-processing of AM parts that often have rough surfaces, visible layer lines, and residual stresses. Shot blasting effectively smooths surfaces, reduces layer line visibility, and relieves residual stresses. It also removes support structures and excess material, cleans and deburrs parts, and prepares surfaces for coating or bonding. By offering tailored solutions to the specific requirements of AM parts, AM Solutions’ shot blasting technologies improve their surface finish, dimensional accuracy, and mechanical performance.
Spellacy concludes, “The overwhelming response to AM Solutions’ mass finishing and shot blasting technologies (and our C1 chemical system for the automated and cost-efficient post processing of photopolymer components) at TCT 3Sixty underscores the growing recognition among industry professionals that while there is room for novel technologies for the post-processing of some AM parts, more often than not an intelligent adaptation of proven mass finishing and shot blasting technologies for the specifics of AM parts provides an optimal solution. With its trailblazing solutions, AM Solutions continues to spearhead the evolution of AM, ensuring that the industry’s demand for impeccable post-processed parts is effectively met.”
