Tag: sfm-at350

case
study

The advantages of software driven intelligent depowdering – use case Enerbine

The effect of SPR-Pathfinder® when removing powder from heat exchangers.

December 3 2025

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Use case Enerbine

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INTRODUCTION

This case study features the automated depowdering process of a Heat Exchanger by company Enerbine.

Enerbine manufactures modular, fuel-agnostic inverter units designed for distributed power generation which are both compatible with liquid and gaseous fuels. Their technology combines cutting-edge 3D-metal printing with ceramic and advanced materials to deliver high precision, efficiency and durability. As an early adopter, Enerbine has been using SPR-Pathfinder® since installing the SFM-AT350 Solukon depowdering system at its plant.

In this case study, learn how Enerbine uses intelligent depowdering and how the company plans to further expand its depowdering capabilities.

The SFM-AT350: Depowdering of medium-sized metal parts

FACTS & FIGURES ABOUT THE
APPLICATION AND DEPOWDERING PROCESS

Build plate dimensions (W x D x H)200 x 200 x 350 mm
PrinterEOS M 400-4
MaterialIn718
ApplicationHeat Exchangers for power generation
Surface / structure– Cylinder with thin walls and fuel injector inside

– Curved channels inside the part which are approx. 200 mm tall in total

– 4 parts of the same shape on one build plate
Smallest diameter of internal feature filled with powder0.2 mm
Depowdering systemSolukon SFM-AT350 with high-frequent knocker
Duration of automated depowdering process360 min
Mode usedIntel Model with SPR-Pathfinder®
Number of cleaning steps1200
Amount of recovered powder per cleaning cycle10-20 kg
How many parts of this type are depowdered?12 a week

THE DEPOWDERING PROCESS

The depowdering process was carried out on the SFM-AT350 with a high-frequency knocker add-on.

During depowdering in Intel Mode with the SPR-Pathfinder®, a strong powder flow was detected. Targeted knocking helped loosen powder clogs in small part cavities (smallest size: 0.2 mm). Overall, the depowdering process for the heat exchangers in the SFM-AT350 took six hours. About 10-20 kg of powder could be collected for each depowdering cycle. Team Enerbine reuses the powder after sieving it for further printing processes.

After the depowdering process, Team Enerbine cut the parts open using an EDM. No powder residue was trapped inside the geometry. “Before we used the Solukon, powder was still trapped in the thin walls. Now, with the Solukon, only some dust remains on the walls”, says Erling LaSalle, Additive Manufacturing Engineer at Enerbine.

The depowdering process is followed by rinsing with IPA, heat treatment and machining.

SAFE PROCESS, LOW MAINTENANCE

Installing a Solukon depowdering system has significantly improved occupational health and safety because the powder is processed in a sealed atmosphere. The Solukon unit’s minimal maintenance requirements make it a valuable addition to Enerbine’s additive production facility, boosting efficiency.

THE ADVANTAGES OF DEPOWDERING WITH SPR-PATHFINDER® OVER CONVENTIONAL DEPOWDERING

Enerbine has found significant advantages in intelligent depowdering with SPR-Pathfinder®, which involves the precise precalculation of component movements based on the part geometry. Erling explains:

„Before we had the software, we set the program manually and ran it for 8 to 12 hours, but powder would still remain trapped inside the part. With the Pathfinder program, the process takes only 6 hours, and all the powder is completely removed.”

SPR-Pathfinder® is especially useful because the design of the heat exchanger is still being developed and changes slightly with each print. The software can quickly account for these minor changes to the component.

THE NEXT STAGE IN ENERBINE’S GROWTH IN INDUSTRIAL DEPOWDERING

Currently, the SFM-AT350 depowders up to four components on one build plate at a time. This will exceed the SFM-AT350’s maximum weight capacity soon, so Erling’s team plan to upgrade to the next largest Solukon depowdering system: the SFM-AT800-S. “We will need an SFM-AT800-S for full production setting”, Erling states.

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Use case Enerbine

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case
study

Automated depowdering with ultrasonics – Use case justairtech

Learn in this case study for which geometries ultra-high frequencies can make a difference for depowdering.

August 5 2025

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Case study justairtech

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INTRODUCTION

For nearly a decade automated depowdering was widely understood as the combination of automated rotation and targeted vibration. This is still the case but with the launch of the depowdering system SFM-AT350-E Solukon has extended the vibration options with ultrasonic excitation. This case study features the ultrasonic depowdering process of a Fractal Heat Exchanger by justairtech.

The company develops and provides sustainable, highly efficient cooling systems that use air as a refrigerant, primarily targeting data centers and industrial cooling needs. The use case part, their fractal heat exchanger, is their core technology, enabling the use of air as a refrigerant and achieving 4-5 times higher efficiency than conventional systems. They aim to decouple cooling from climate change by reducing electricity consumption and using natural refrigerants.

FACTS & FIGURES ABOUT THE
APPLICATION AND DEPOWDERING PROCESS

Build plate dimensions (W x D x H)350 x 350 x 350 mm
Printer with which the part was manufacturedEOS M 400-4
MaterialEOS Stainless Steel 316L
ApplicationFractal Heat Exchanger
Structure / surface– Complex internal geometry with many horizontally running, long and narrow channels; Channel opennings of various geometrical
shapes

– Spread over the entire base area, approximately halfway up: an
area (100 – 150 mm high) in which there is a vertical grid with
extremely small gaps (“channels” of 0.5 x 0.5 mm).
Smallest diameter of internal feature0.5 x 0.5 mm
Duration of automatic depowdering337 min
Depowdering systemSolukon SFM-AT350-E with ultrasonic excitation
Mode usedAutomatic Mode + Manual Mode

THE DEPOWDERING PROCESS

Before the ultrasonic depowdering process in the SFM-AT350-E a pre-cleaning has already been conducted. There was a period of time between the first and second cleaning during which the component was exposed to normal room air. It can therefore be assumed that the powder remaining inside the part reacted with moisture from the surrounding air, which further complicated the depowdering process. The depowdering process was carried out on the SFM-AT350-E with permanent ultrasonic excitation and without an option for a pneumatic vibrator or high frequent knocker. During the depowdering also a high impact blasting gun was used to additionally loosen the powder and to get even more powder out of the part. During depowdering in automatic mode (swiveling angle 60°-220°, rotating and swiveling speed 10°/s with waiting times of 5 seconds in each position) a strong powder flow was detected. All in all the ultrasonic depowdering process of this Fractal Heat Exchanger on the Solukon SFM-AT350-E took 337 minutes. Despite pre-cleaning, more than 1.9 kg of stainless steel powder that had attached could be removed. The Heat Exchanger is now completely depowdered.

WHAT IS THE RESULT OF THIS USE CASE?

This use case clearly demonstrates that ultrasonic excitation can make a significant difference when dealing with narrow, long channels. Considerably more powder was removed compared to conventional pre-cleaning using vibration and knocking. Ultrasonic cleaning with the SFM-AT350-E is another powerful tool in Solukon’s comprehensive industrial depowdering toolbox. However, the choice of excitation method still heavily depends on the geometry of the part.

WHAT CONCLUSIONS DOES JUSTAIRTECH DRAW FROM THE POWDER REMOVAL TEST?

“The powder removal test impressively confirmed that even powder that gets stuck in component areas that are extremely difficult to access – in our case over 1.9 kg – can be removed automatically. The comparison with the target weight of the heat exchanger shows that the test with Solukon was extremely successful and that the component is now free of powder. This not only provides us with the necessary process reliability, but also strengthens our confidence in the industrial series application of additively manufactured components.”

Philipp Komurka,
Head of Product Development & Technology
Additive Components & Testing

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Case study justairtech

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Ultrasonic depowdering: A new tool in the industrial powder removal toolbox

Learn why ultrasonic depowdering can be a game-changer and when the excitation form is the right choice for your application.

July 4 2025

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MARKETING@SOLUKON.DE

THE PRINCIPLES FOR AUTOMATED DEPOWDERING:

Automated depowdering is a relatively new discipline in additive manufacturing and still: since Solukon was founded and the world’s first depowdering system, the SFM-AT800-S, was launched in 2015, a number of successful principles have become established on the market. The most important of these include:

1. Depowdering must take place in a protected atmosphere

Health risks from fine dust and the danger of explosions are effectively controlled only when using a sealed process chamber. For reactive materials, the process chamber is inerted with a protective gas.

2. Depowdering must be reproducible

This means achieving consistent cleaning results for identical components (i.e., repeatability). What may sound obvious or like a no-brainer is actually a standard that can only truly be maintained with automated powder removal using Solukon.

3. The best cleaning result is achieved through the combination of rotation and vibration excitation

(Endless) rotation around two axes and targeted vibration excitation make the adhering powder flowable within internal channels. The excitation intensity of the vibrator can be adjusted in Solukon’s powder removal systems. However, how the pneumatically generated vibrations actually act on the part is highly individual and depends on the geometry of the component. What matters is the result: the powder behaves like a liquid and flows out of internal channels. Powder clumps are broken up by a high-frequency knocker, which can also be activated when needed.

Until recently, the combination of a pneumatic vibrator and a knocker to stimulate vibration would have been on this list of basic principles for depowdering. This is because pneumatic vibrators are reliable, cost-effective and highly efficient. However, they consume large amounts of compressed air and are difficult to control, which can lead to problems with sensitive parts. This is because exceeding the resonance frequency could damage the parts in sensitive structures.

SFM-AT350-E with ultrasonic excitation

SFM-AT350-E with ultrasonics

With the introduction of the E version of the SFM-AT350 depowdering system, Solukon has therefore expanded the toolbox of excitations and brought a system with ultrasonic excitation onto the market. The SFM-AT350-E depowders components up to 400 x 400 x 400 mm and 100 kg fully automatically with programmable 2-axis rotation and frequency excitation in the ultrasonic range.

What can ultrasonic excitation do, and what are its key advantages?

In the SFM-AT350-E, the component is excited at ultrasonic frequencies using a piezoelectric system. The excitation is applied directly at the turntable of the automated depowdering system, allowing the component to be brought effortlessly and precisely into an optimal vibration state. What makes this approach unique is that instead of using a fixed frequency, the system continuously and rapidly sweeps through a specific frequency range in which cleaning is particularly effective. This sweeping ensures highly reliable cleaning by utilizing well-defined frequencies within the ultrasonic range.

The ultra-high frequencies used for electrical excitation are well above the component’s potentially damaging natural resonance frequency. This prevents the component from resonating and eliminates the risk of structural damage. As a result, ultrasonic depowdering is an especially gentle form of cleaning.

Another advantage: ultrasonic excitation is completely silent. This allows the
SFM-AT350-E to be installed even outside noisy, high-throughput production environments.

When is ultrasound the appropriate form of excitation?

As with many challenges related to powder removal, choosing between pneumatic and ultrasonic excitation largely depends on the specific application and the geometry of the component. Both methods can deliver effective cleaning results. However, ultrasound is often the preferred option for parts with extremely delicate features or fragile support structures, as it avoids the oscillations typically associated with pneumatic excitation—greatly reducing the risk of component damage from vibrational stress. Even very fine structures (typically less than 0.5 mm in diameter) respond exceptionally well to high-frequency ultrasonic excitation.

In addition, powder can become clogged in narrow and deep channels if the excitation is not applied correctly. Ultrasonic excitation is capable of reliably cleaning such channels and can even dislodge existing blockages. The following comparative test conducted by a Solukon customer highlights the advantages of ultrasonic technology in cleaning narrow and long channels:

What specific use cases are there?

Swissm4m: Depowdering of medical parts

The SFM-AT350-E has proven to be an ideal system for the medical industry in particular. Typical applications here are hip cups, which have a grid-like structure on the surface. Such acetabular cups, together with spinal inserts and dental tools, were part of a build job at the Swiss m4m Center, a technology transfer center for the medical and dental industry.

Ultrasonic depowdering of medical parts

 

Medical parts inside an SFM-AT350-E

It took just 7.5 minutes to clean the stainless-steel medical components in the SFM-AT350-E with ultrasonic excitation.

The Exploration Company: Depowdering of a Thruster Combustion Chamber of a rocket engine

The ultrasonic technology of the SFM-AT350-E has also already proven itself in the aerospace industry, where particularly high demands are placed on industrial depowdering. International aerospace company “The Exploration Company” relies on ultrasonic excitation with the SFM-AT350-E from Solukon for the depowdering of rocket parts.

This combustion chamber made of Inconel (IN718) weighs around 15 kg, is around 370 mm high and has a highly complex interior: the intricate channels are up to 400 mm long, and the smallest diameter of these channels is 1.5 mm.

Thruster Combustion Chamber by Exploration Company

With the SFM-AT350-E, the team led by Senior Additive Manufacturing Engineer Maxi Strixner was able to clean the component comfortably, gently and silently. For the targeted cleaning of the rocket combustion chamber, the team ran a cleaning program specially written for the component. After 30 minutes, the component was successfully cleaned.

Ultrasonic depowdering of a Thruster Combustion Chamber

For the Exploration Company, the silent cleaning and the reliable cleaning quality are the main reasons why they chose the SFM-AT350-E from Solukon:
„The Solukon ultrasonic depowdering system has been a game-changer for our small workshop. Its quiet design means we can run it right next to our workspace without any disruption — which is a big plus. When used with a program, the system drastically cuts down on manual labor, and delivers consistent, clean results. All of this translates into real time and cost savings, making the investment absolutely worthwhile”, says Boris Schaff, Additive Manufacturing Engineer at The Exploration Company.

Ultrasonic technology as a new tool in the powder removal toolbox

As the examples show, the ultrasonic technology of the SFM-AT350-E has already proven itself on the market. And still: the E-version is by no means a replacement for the SFM-AT350’s standard depowdering technology with pneumatic excitation. Ultrasonic excitation is rather an additional tool in the toolbox of automated depowdering.

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Solukon enhances the SFM-AT350 Depowdering System

Thanks to its adapted arm design, the SFM-AT350/-E can now accommodate parts weighing up to 100 kg as well as plates of the flagship printers EOS M 400 and Nikon SLM® 500.

May 23 2024

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Pressemitteilung Solukon Enhancement SFM-AT350 Images press release

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Thanks to its adapted arm design, the SFM-AT350/-E can now accommodate parts weighing up to 100 kg as well as plates of the flagship printers EOS M 400 and Nikon SLM® 500. For the first time, at Rapid + TCT in Los Angeles, the upgraded depowdering system can be viewed live.


With the exception of parts for the medical sector, which tend to be small and stout and often have lattice structures, there is a clear trend in the medium-sized part segment: the total weight of LPBF parts has increased. One reason for this is that the parts are usually produced on solid build plates, sometimes with numerous complex support structures. As an immediate downstream process, depowdering must grow hand in hand with printing. This is why Solukon has upgraded its SFM-AT350 depowdering system, which is leading the market.


In the future, the SFM-AT350 will be able to accommodate parts with a total weight of up to 100 kg and dimensions of 400 x 400 x 400 or 500 x 280 x 400 mm. The SFM-AT350 was originally designed only for parts weighing up to 60 kilograms and was only compatible with parts measuring a maximum of 350 mm on the X-axis. The increase in total permitted weight is achieved exclusively through an adapted arm design, which means that the chamber volume and the associated inert gas consumption remain the same. With this upgrade, Solukon has also increased the compatibility of its system. “Many of our current and potential customers print their medium-sized parts on an M 400 from EOS or a Nikon SLM® 500. The upgraded SFM-AT350 is now compatible with both of these printers and therefore covers two more key additive manufacturing systems in this size range,” said CEO/CTO Andreas Hartmann from Solukon. The new version of the SFM-AT350 offers customers with larger, highly complex components, such as in the aerospace or medical sectors, an ideal depowdering system at an optimum price-performance ratio. For parts with the dimensions mentioned above and weights higher than 100 kilograms, the next larger depowdering system, the SFM-AT800-S, is the ideal peripheral device.

SFM-AT350: The best-selling depowdering system for the middle size class

Since its launch in October 2021, the SFM-AT350 from Solukon has established itself in the global market as the ideal system for medium-sized parts and is currently used in 17 countries.

The system features a compact design in conjunction with generous freedom of movement and unique digital functions. With the SPR-Pathfinder® software, the ideal motion sequence can be automatically calculated in advance based on the part’s CAD file: no programming is required with the SFM-AT350. The optional Digital-Factory-Tool is a sensor and interface kit that tracks all the key data on the depowdering operation and summarizes it in a protocol file to ensure maximum transparency.


“These smart features have also become a must in the medium-sized part segment since the parts and support structures are becoming more and more complex here too. We are pleased that we were able to launch two sophisticated digital tools on the market so early with the DFT and SPR-Pathfinder® software and have once again demonstrated our innovative strength. The aim of the latest upgrade is to offer users with larger components weighing up to 100 kg a cost-optimized solution without compromising on functionality. No other system in this segment offers so many equipment options and functionality and closes an important gap in the growing price pressure in the service sector,” explains Andreas Hartmann.

Two excitation options available

As of October 2023, the SFM-AT350 is also available in two excitation variants.
The SFM-AT350 has adjustable pneumatic vibration with the option of adding a knocker. As an alternative, the SFM-AT350-E can come with piezoelectric excitation, which cleans parts very gently by using very high, self-regulating ultrasonic vibration.

Upgrade available now – see live at Rapid + TCT 2024

The upgrade and the increased total permitted weight of parts now apply to both variants of the SFM-AT350. The upgraded SFM-AT350-E can be seen live at Rapid 2024 in Los Angeles at the Solukon Booth 2161. For the first time, Solukon will present the variant with ultrasonic excitation to the US market. The Solukon team looks forward to welcoming you!

Further highlights at the Solukon Booth 2161

Since this year’s Rapid + TCT is taking place in Los Angeles, the home of the top aerospace companies, Solukon is also exhibiting the depowdering system for industrial-scale rocket parts: the SFM-AT1000-S with flexible front-top loading. For the one-of-a-kind SPR-Pathfinder® software, there will also be a discount campaign for existing and new customers. More information will follow shortly.

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Pressemitteilung Solukon Enhancement SFM-AT350 Images press release

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Use Case: Automated depowdering in the medical technology sector

The use case of PETER BREHM shows how automated depowdering can increase efficiency in the medical technology sector.

November 28 2023

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Use case PETER BREHM

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It’s not just in the aerospace sector and other sectors that manufacture particularly complex parts using additive processes that demand for automated depowdering is increasing. More and more companies in the medical technology sector require automated solutions – the need for full transparency, certification and occupational health and safety are the essential motivating forces.

The use case of PETER BREHM, a Solukon customer, shows how automated depowdering can increase efficiency in the medical technology sector. PETER BREHM GmbH, a company with operations around the globe, specializes in hip and knee endoprosthetics and spinal surgery. Using the laser melting process, PETER BREHM manufactures hip cup replacements that are automatically depowdered in an SFM-AT350 made by Solukon.

Facts & figures about the application and depowdering process

Build plate dimensions⌀ 300 x 200 mm
PrinterTruPrint 3000
MaterialTiAl6V4
Applicationhip cup replacement
Structure / Surfacechaotically arranged lattice structure
Duration of automated depowdering30 min
Depowdering systemSFM-AT350 with a high-frequency knocker, DFT and OPC UA
Mode usedautomatic mode

The depowdering process for medical parts at PETER BREHM

After the printing process, a vacuum cleaner removes the powder cake and clamping hooks are used to secure the build job in the SFM-AT350. Since titanium alloy is a reactive material, the SFM-AT350 is first inerted. Due to the optimized volume, the chamber of the SFM-AT350 is filled with protective gas within minutes and the depowdering process can start. Programmable 2-axis rotation and systematic vibration in accordance with SPR® technology ensure that the powder behaves like a liquid and flows out of the lattice structures. Very fine pores in the lattice structures pose a special challenge when depowdering this application, since residual powder remains in them. The high-frequency knocker built into the SFM-AT350 is used for such structures: it uses a range of frequencies to knock off or detach the residual powder. After around 30 minutes, the entire build job is depowdered.


Depowdering of the revision acetabular cups MRS-TITAN® Standard | MRS-TITAN® Maximum in a Solukon SFM-AT350.

Full transparency with automated depowdering

The unique Digital-Factory-Tool (DFT) tracks key data, allowing PETER BREHM to have full transparency throughout the depowdering process. For example, the DFT provides information on the frequency range of the high-frequency knocker and monitors the residual oxygen. The system immediately stops if it hits an upper or lower limit value. At the end of the process, all the data recorded in the DFT is available in a report.

Why is Solukon the right partner for depowdering?

The technology from Solukon makes a decisive contribution to occupational health and safety at PETER BREHM, since the build jobs are clean and workers do not come into contact with residual powder. Florian Nowak, an employee in the Additive Manufacturing department, sums up why PETER BREHM relies on Solukon: “The SFM-AT350 and its digital features in particular have enormously simplified depowdering. In addition, we are faster and more reliable than we are during manual processes. Convenient, simple process monitoring via the Digital-Factory-Tool was a key factor in our decision to go with a Solukon system. The SFM-AT350 is low-maintenance and ultra-high quality – we would definitely recommend the SFM-AT350 to other additive manufacturers.

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Use case PETER BREHM

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The DMG MORI Academy relies on Solukon depowdering systems

With an SFM-AT800-S and an SFM-AT350 from Solukon, the DMG MORI Academy increases efficiency in postprocessing.

September 18 2023

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Press release DMG MORI Academy relies in Solukon depowdering systems Images press release DMG MORI Academy

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With an SFM-AT800-S and an SFM-AT350 from Solukon, the world’s leading manufacturer of machine tools is increasing efficiency in the postprocessing of additively manufactured parts. At EMO 2023 in Hanover, the SFM-AT350 is part of a unique series production line.


The DMG MORI Academy relies on Solukon’s unique technology for the removal of powder from laser-melted metal parts. In Bielefeld, the two market-leading automated systems SFM-AT350 and SFM-AT800-S are already in use for the safe removal of powder.

Both systems are based on the unique Smart Powder Recuperation technology SPR®. It safely and reliably removes residual powder from complex cavities and channels through programmable 2-axis rotation and targeted vibration within a protected atmosphere and collects the powder for reuse. Perfected in size and function, the SFM-AT350 is the ideal depowdering system for medium-sized parts up to 60 kg and 420 mm high, while the proven and established SFM-AT800-Scan clean 600 mm high, large components up to 300 kg.

Digital features for reliable and transparent postprocessing

It is not only the reliable cleaning quality that makes the systems the best-selling in their class, but above all the digital features that make depowdering even easier and the process even more transparent: With the SPR-Pathfinder® software, the motion sequences in the Solukon system can be conveniently calculated in advance based on the CAD file of the part. And the second feature, the Digital Factory Tool, as a sensor and interface kit, enables real-time monitoring and quality assurance of the depowdering process.

“Solukon systems are rightly the market-leading depowdering systems. We achieve reliable cleaning results and have full transparency and control over the depowdering process. We are pleased to have increased the efficiency of our additive manufacturing line with Solukon even further and look forward to further joint projects,” says Dr.-Ing. Rinje Brandis, General Manager Additive Manufacturing and Industry 4.0 at DMG MORI Academy.


Solukon systems at the DMG MORI Academy in Bielefeld.

The SFM-AT350 is a series production line

The systems are integrated into the production control system via OPC UA and can thus be controlled centrally. DMG MORI will be demonstrating how a Solukon system can be part of a series production at EMO 2023 in Hanover (September 18-23). In Hall 2, an SFM-AT350 is part of an automated series production. DMG MORI prints robot heads for Robo2Go Turning live on site, which are then depowdered in the SFM-AT350 and transferred to further postprocessing and finishing systems.


Automated depowdering of additively manufactured robot heads in a Solukon SFM-AT350.
 

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Press release DMG MORI Academy relies in Solukon depowdering systems Images press release DMG MORI Academy

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Depowdering Tool Components in Additive Manufacturing: Paul Horn GmbH relies on Solukon

With a Solukon SFM-AT350, the precision tool manufacturer Horn optimizes the postprocessing of its parts produced in the powder bed process.

June 13 2023

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Press release Solukon Paul Horn Image press release Solukon Paul Horn

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Horn, the technology leader in tool production, uses additive manufacturing for tool production as well as conventional manufacturing methods. With a Solukon SFM-AT350, the precision tool manufacturer Horn is now optimizing the postprocessing of the parts it produces with selective laser melting.


Founded in 1969 in Tübingen, Germany, the carbide tool manufacturer Horn is the technology leader in producing precision tools for machining tasks with high standards. Alongside 25,000 standard tools, the family-run company has delivered more than 150,000 custom solutions to its customers in recent years. For such a large volume of production orders, both the manufacturing process and the downstream process steps must be scaled to the greatest extent possible. With the Solukon SFM-AT350, Horn has automated the depowdering of laser-melted metal parts and, in turn, has significantly increased the efficiency of component cleaning.

Solukon SFM-AT350: Reliable cleaning for medium-sized parts

Based on the SPR® Smart Powder Recuperation technology from Solukon, the SFM-AT350 cleans complex metal parts weighing up to 60 kg with 2-axis rotation and adjustable vibration in a protected atmosphere. The rotary table of the SFM‑AT350 is infinitely rotatable, while the horizontal axis swivels by up to 250 degrees. This fully automated process removes residual powder from the complex channels inside the parts.

Depowdering tool parts at Horn

The SFM-AT350 is in use several times a week at Horn. Currently, parts made from tool steel and stainless steel and those made from the reactive materials aluminum and titanium are depowdered in the Solukon system. Before cleaning the reactive materials, the SFM-AT350 is inerted with protective gas. Depending on the part size, up to several dozen parts are arranged on a build plate, which are then simultaneously freed from powder in a cleaning process in the SFM-AT350. This makes the cleaning process considerably more efficient and faster. According to Dr. Konrad Bartkowiak, production manager for additive manufacturing, when it comes to depowdering, parts with interior cooling channels, lattice structures or powder residue in the support structures are the greatest challenge.


With the SFM-AT350, the company from Tübingen cleans these complex parts automatically and has complete transparency in terms of the cleaning process. This is made possible by the Digital-Factory-Tool, a sensor and interface set used to monitor all the key data of the depowdering process (e.g., humidity, chamber pressure, temperature).

Michael Schäfer, Designer and System Operator in Additive Manufacturing at Horn, operating the Solukon SFM-AT350.
Credit: HORN/Nossek

Main benefits: increased occupational safety and powder recuperation

Alongside the increase in efficiency, Horn decided in favor of a Solukon system for reasons of occupational safety. “The Solukon system increases safety (explosion protection) because we can also use it to depowder metal parts made of reactive materials in a protective gas atmosphere,” said Bartkowiak. Bartkowiak and his team also rely on the Solukon system for its contribution to sustainability. “We can sieve the discharged powder and then reuse it. Depending on the part size and cavities, this can add up to a significant amount of powder,” said Michael Schäfer, a designer and system operator in Additive Manufacturing at Horn.

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Press release Solukon Paul Horn Image press release Solukon Paul Horn

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FORMNEXT 2025

What to expect
Booth 12.0 – D71

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