Automating post-processing in additive manufacturing

Metal additive manufacturing (AM) technologies can produce complex parts and components with the capacity for greater design freedom and production on-demand. However, one major hurdle for wider AM adoption for production remains at the post-processing stage.

Post-processing metal parts is still a bottleneck in the AM process chain because it’s very often a manual, labor-intensive, messy (filthy), and sometimes risky task. Because of this, manual post-processing of metal parts is prone to inconsistencies.

The challenges

Post-processing is an umbrella term for the various finishing techniques employed to achieve the desired final properties and aesthetics of a metal part once it’s built. These can include powder removal, support removal, surface finishing, heat treatments, and quality inspection. Reliance on manual labor to complete these operations brings up some challenges, the first of which is time.

Standing at a workbench removing the supports from a complex metal component with channels, holes, and overhangs, with tools in gloved hands and protective goggles on, takes a long time – hours for just one component. It’s also hard, unpredictable, and at times, grim.

While metal AM processes have evolved to ensure more repeatable parts, these gains can be lost in post-processing. Manual processes are susceptible to human error, which can manifest as variations in surface quality and dimensional accuracy. For a batch of parts this can result in overall part inconsistencies which can significantly impact the functionality and reliability of the final products for their application.

Then there are the costs associated with manual labor. This work requires skilled workers. Moreover, metal AM is evolving to where the technologies themselves are being considered scalable for higher volumes of parts. The same can’t be said for manual processes, which are the antithesis of scalable.

Manual post-processing also presents a raft of safety concerns. It’s a hazardous environment and requires serious health and safety considerations.

Automation can redefine post-processing

Manufacturers have long faced the challenges for post-processing metal parts with few options for overcoming them. Without alternative solutions, the ability to unlock the full potential of metal AM processes for scaled-up production will remain limited. A key for advanced manufacturers is now emerging with new automation technologies dedicated to post-processing. Leveraging robotics, machine vision, and advanced software programming to precisely and repeatably automate various steps in metal parts’ post-processing workflow is redefining capabilities and standards for this part of the metal AM process chain.

Automated systems undeniably perform the tasks they are programmed to do with greater precision and repeatability compared to manual methods. Robots combined with advanced programming software and equipped with specialized end-effector tools can remove powder and support structures and finish surfaces to the required levels. This improves surface quality, ensures tighter dimensional tolerances, and provides greater consistency across batches of metal components. In addition, machine vision systems and sensors can be integrated with the robots to perform real-time inspections, ensuring parts meet specific quality criteria.

Automated post-processing solutions can also significantly reduce manual labor costs, especially in production runs at higher volumes. Such solutions also can optimize material use, minimizing waste, for further cost savings.

Automating hazardous tasks using robotic systems can significantly improve worker safety in the post-processing environment. The risk of injury is eliminated, and automated solutions are inherently scalable where manual labor isn’t. These solutions can be adapted to handle larger production volumes without compromising part quality or consistency. This enables manufacturers to leverage the benefits of AM for larger projects and remove the bottleneck of manual post-processing.

Automation for good

The pursuit of operational excellence within manufacturing can be achieved with the thoughtful adoption of automation technologies. In metal post-processing technologies, Rivelin’s NetShape robots enable automated removal of supports, precision machining, and surface finishing. This streamlines post-processing operations, removing traditional bottlenecks as well as elevating and ensuring the quality of the final product.

Each NetShape robot is an enclosed microfactory combining an industrial robot equipped with an array of tools, state-of-the-art sensors, and processes to ensure dexterity, driven by NetShape control software using machine learning (ML) and traditional deterministic control theory to optimize the quality and repeatability of support removal and finishing.

NetShape robots represent a commitment to overcoming metal AM’s challenges through innovation to nurture a culture of continuous improvement and innovation. This harmonization of human ingenuity with robotic precision fosters an environment where creativity and technical excellence coalesce, driving forward operational goals and contributing to safer, more sustainable and responsible manufacturing.

About the author: Robert Bush is CEO of Rivelin Robotics. He can be reached at info@rivelinrobotics.com.

2023 North America robot orders down 30%

PHOTOS COURTESY OF RESPECTIVE COMPANIES

After record orders in 2021 and 2022, North American robot sales declined by 30% in 2023, according to the Association for Advancing Automation(A3). Companies purchased 31,159 robots in 2023, compared to 44,196 ordered in 2022 and 39,708 in 2021. These 2023 orders feature 15,436 robots sold to non-automotive companies, a 25% total decrease in all other industries.

In 2023, the strongest demand for robots from non-automotive companies came from the metal industry, followed by semiconductor & electronics/photonics.

Mass casting service

Base Materials launched a UK-based mass casting service for near-net-shape tooling or modeling.

Providing an alternative method to traditional modeling and tooling board materials for CNC machining, the new service at its facility in Leicester, UK, enables Base Materials to create a single-piece, near-net-shape tool or model, custom-made to any shape.

Mass casting results in no visible bond or witness lines, giving an ultra-smooth surface finish. In comparison to traditional processes, near-net-shape casting – where a mold is created to cast the form close to the size and shape required for the final part – eliminates unnecessary material waste created during machining and reduces downstream processing costs.

Suitable for high-temperature applications in addition to complex geometric, and near-net-shape forms, the company has materials available for mass casting applications with densities ranging from 600kg/m³ to 1,700kg/m³.