With the new Solukon system, Nikon SLM Solutions has acquired the ideal postprocessing system for the NXG 600E. The AM team has now put the system into operation in the USA.

 
Offering a holistic and customer-centric approach, the Nikon AM Technology Center provides comprehensive Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) services, engineering and manufacturing solutions, as well as prototyping and production capabilities. The 90,000 m² area includes the NXG 600E large format printer, which can print components up to 1,500 mm high in one piece. The perfect depowdering system for such components is the SFM-AT1500-S from Solukon, which the team around Production Manager Joshua Forster has now installed at the Technology Center in Long Beach.

The SFM-AT1500-S as a perfect fit for the NXG 600E

SFM-AT1500-S is currently the largest metal depowdering system from Solukon. It can accommodate parts with dimensions 600 x 600 x 1500 mm or 820 x 820 x 1300 mm with a maximum weight of 2100 kg, including build plate – an immense intake weight for depowdering systems. This makes SFM-AT1500-S the ideal depowdering system for heavy-duty requirements and dimensions, such as those that arise with the NXG 600E.

Intelligent cleaning of complex structures

The SFM-AT1500-S enables fully automated, programmable cleaning of complex structures and channels. The SPR-Pathfinder® software makes it easy to calculate how the component needs to be moved in the Solukon system. It analyzes the CAD file of the component and calculates the ideal movement pattern. This calculation can take place as soon as the CAD file of the component has been created. Users can therefore simulate depowdering during the design process and see whether their geometry can be depowdered.
 

Maximum capacity, minimum footprint

In addition to its intelligent features, the SFM-AT1500-S is characterized above all by its compactness. “Maximum capacity, minimum structure was one of the guiding principles when designing the system. This means that the system can accommodate extremely large components, but at the same time has a very narrow design. This is because space in production sites is very valuable and limited, especially in modern production environments,” says CEO/CTO Andreas Hartmann, who developed the system. It is not only the chamber volume and the machine’s design that are perfectly adapted to the handling of NXG 600-E components, but also the procedure for loading the huge parts: Using front-top loading, components can be lifted into the system by crane. When the roof is opened, the frame of the Solukon system folds up completely, making it much easier to load the components.

Safe powder handling with SFM-PCU

When depowdering the massive parts, significant amounts of powder accrue and standard collection containers are too small. This is why Nikon SLM Solutions has also purchased the compatible SFM-PCU powder collection unit from Solukon. With the SFM-PCU, the powder can be safely extracted and collected in a large container in a process monitored by sensors.

Nikon SLM Solutions once again relies on Solukon technology

With the SFM-AT1500-S, Nikon SLM Solutions has once again opted for Solukon’s market-leading technology. This is because the AM Technology Center, which is also home to Nikon AM Synergy (formerly Morf3D), already has another Solukon system in operation, an SFM-AT1000-S.

“At our Nikon AM Technology Center in Long Beach, we offer our customers a machine portfolio that meets the highest demands. With the SFM-AT1500-S from Solukon, we have installed the ideal system for the postprocessing of highly complex, very large components. We were already in close contact with the Solukon team during the concept phase, so that our wishes were incorporated into the development of the depowdering system,” says Gerhard Bierleutgeb, Chief Operating Officer at Nikon SLM Solutions.

“We would like to thank Nikon SLM Solutions for their confidence in our technology. For optimum production conditions, the printing process and automated depowdering must be closely interlinked. With the SFM-AT1500-S, we have achieved this perfectly, as our depowdering system is precisely tailored to the needs of Nikon SLM Solutions customers,” says Andreas Hartmann, CEO/CTO of Solukon.

At Formnext 2024, Solukon unveiled the new SFM-AT1500-S, designed for exceptionally large metal parts weighing up to 2,100 kg, and is proud to announce AMCM GmbH as one of its first customers.

SFM-AT1500-S is currently the largest metal depowdering system from Solukon. It can accommodate parts with dimensions 600 x 600 x 1500 mm or 820 x 820 x 1300 mm with a maximum weight of 2100 kg, including build plate – an immense intake weight for depowdering systems. This makes SFM-AT1500-S the ideal depowdering system for heavy-duty requirements and dimensions. Despite its enormous capacity, the SFM-AT1500-S is extremely compact and does not require an external work platform or stairs.

The M 8K from special machine manufacturer AMCM in Starnberg pushes the limits of what is currently printable. The M 8K can print components up to 820 x 820 x 1200 mm. In the search for an ideal peripheral device for depowdering, AMCM has once again opted for the market-leading technology from Solukon and the SFM-AT1500-S. AMCM will be commissioning the new Solukon depowdering system at its Starnberg facility soon.
 

Why AMCM relies on Solukon’s market leading depowdering technology

As with the SFM-AT1000-S, which was the largest depowdering system of its time, Solukon worked closely with AMCM throughout the development phase of the new system. This collaboration allowed the ideas and requirements of Martin Bullemer, Managing Director at AMCM, and his team to be directly integrated into the design. The result is the SFM-AT1500-S, a machine perfectly tailored to requirements of the AMCM M 8K printer.
 

Intelligent Depowdering of extra-large parts

The difficulty in cleaning massive and extra-large metal parts is not only the extremely high weight of the components (up to 2,100 kg). Complex internal structures also make powder removal a challenge. To address these challenges, Solukon’s largest metal depowdering system to date is equipped with the SPR-Pathfinder®. This innovative software eliminates the need for manual programming during powder removal by using the CAD file to calculate the optimal movements for the component within the Solukon system. Users can also use the SPR-Pathfinder during the design process to check whether their complex components will be cleaned. This capability offers a unique opportunity to save substantial time and costs throughout the entire production process while significantly reducing the risk of production errors.

“SPR-Pathfinder is a tool that every customer would certainly like to have, and so do we. The software is indispensable for complex components because the exact movement pattern for very complex geometries cannot be generated using human imagination alone. The software eliminates the need for any human programming effort,” says Martin Bullemer, Managing Director of AMCM. In his video statement, he explains why AMCM chose the SFM-AT1500-S from Solukon:

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OEM collaboration as guiding principle

Andreas Hartmann, CEO/CTO of Solukon emphasizes: “The exchange with our OEM partners is one of our guiding principles. With AMCM, we have always shared the approach of pushing the boundaries of what is possible for our customers. This has enabled us to launch a depowdering system for components weighing up to 2,100 kg in record time.”