Depowdering of rocket parts: The Exploration Company relies on ultrasonic system from Solukon
The international aerospace company focuses on sustainability in the production of flight systems and develops reusable space capsules. With a Solukon SFM-AT350-E with SPR-Pathfinder® software, The Exploration Company is investing in the intelligent and automated postprocessing of 3D-printed components.
In recent years, the New Space sector has become one of the most important and highest-revenue industries for Solukon. With the Exploration Company from Planegg in Bavaria, the Solukon team has won another heavyweight in European space travel as a customer.
Senior Additive Manufacturing Engineer Maxi Strixner opted for an SFM-AT350-E with SPR-Pathfinder software for the depowdering of rocket components. The SFM-AT350 is the best-selling depowdering system for medium-sized components weighing up to 100 kg. The E-version of the depowdering system used by the Exploration Company uses piezoelectric ultrasonic excitation to clean laser-melted metal parts particularly quickly and gently. This technology, which was newly developed by Solukon, is unique on the market and enables a silent and efficient cleaning process.

Solukon CEO Andreas Hartmann and Hélène Huby, CEO of the Exploration Company in front of the Solukon SFM-AT350-E.
Why intelligent depowdering is key in space industry
The production of rocket components for the Nyx space capsule requires maximum precision in all production steps. To ensure that everything runs smoothly during the flight of the space capsule, printed components must be completely free of powder. The Solukon system more than meets these high cleaning quality requirements. “With the SPR-Pathfinder software, we calculate in advance how the component must be moved so that all the powder runs out. This enables us to achieve reliable cleaning results and clean components in series,” says Maxi Strixner. Cleaning can also be pre-simulated with the SPR-Pathfinder. This allows developers to see as early as the design phase whether the component can be completely cleaned or whether the geometry needs to be adapted for better postprocessing.
Sustainability in rocket construction
During the cleaning process in the Solukon system, the powder is collected without contamination and can be reused for further presses after sieving, resulting in significant material savings. In addition, piezoelectric frequency excitation offers the advantage over conventional pneumatic vibrators that significantly less compressed air is required, which enables further savings. This approach fits in perfectly with the Exploration Company’s main maxim: “Our main focus is on the development of reusable space capsules for the transportation of payloads and people into space,” says CEO and founder Hélène Huby.
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