AM Solutions Targets Smaller AM Labs with New S1 Basic – 3DPrint.com

AM Solutions is releasing the S1 Basic, a small automated depowdering tool. The Rösler subsidiary is looking to make its products more accessible. The unit could be used in low-volume sites like some university labs, prototyping labs, research labs, and setups where space is a premium.

Made for laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) setups such as Multi Jet Fusion (MJF). The system can run parts up to 100 × 100 × 100 mm in an automated cycle, while manually you can work with parts up to 350 × 200 × 200 mm. The unit is a 2-in-1 system that combines cleaning and resurfacing. These units are not only more compact but also save one extra conveyancing step per batch, should you use two different units instead. In addition to depowdering, the parts are resurfaced and then shot-peened. The company hopes the system delivers repeatable results through automated cleaning and resurfacing for many users. The chamber is 740 x 650 x 830 mm, while the machine measures 1800 x 800 mm. You can process about 7 liters of parts per batch.

Head of AM Solutions David Soldan explained,

“With the S1 Basic, AM Solutions expands its S1 family with a system designed to provide a cost-efficient and standardized entry into the automated post-processing of additively manufactured parts. The S1 remains the solution for more demanding industrial applications requiring an extended range of functions and performance capabilities. Our goal was to create a coherent system architecture that meaningfully covers both application levels.”

The integrated blasting media recirculation system with powder separation ensures consistently high blasting media quality, reproducible processing results, and reduced operating costs. Image courtesy of AM Solutions.

The unit recycles blasting media and removes powder using an automated sieve, keeping the process behind filters to safely speed up processing. The company believes that less powder remains on parts compared to other processes. The PLC is a Siemens S7-1200, and the company has worked on workflow and the UI to make life easier for operators. The noise level is kept at 75 dB(A), and the system includes features such as antistatic gloves.

At 3D Print in Lyon, AM Solutions presented the S1 Basic for the first time. To the left, David Soldan, Head of AM Solutions. Image courtesy of AM Solutions.

Rösler is a premium firm that has incredibly good, long-lasting post-processing solutions for many industries. Their AM Solutions unit has consistently made high-quality systems for batch-based processes. Some systems seem very pricey and very complex. For many users, this new, simpler system will be very attractive. Typically, people buy cheap blasting cabinets and then end up with very manual workflows for ages. This could update and automate that functionality. Especially in corporate prototyping labs and model shops, it is often too expensive for people to spend too much time on manual tasks that add little value. It’s much better for that person to be designing or working creatively instead.

So there definitely is an attractive niche market here. This unit brings more competition to RusselFinex and its compact units. It’s also competitive with the entry-level DyeMansion Powershot C, for example. This emerging segment reminds me a lot of the Lexus LBX, a compact car on the Toyota TNGA-B platform. This subcompact/city car segment underpins the Toyota Aygo and Yaris. Small with a 1.5-liter engine, it doesn’t seem to have the mass and horsepower that we associate with luxury cars, and in the back, it’s comfortable but not huge. In the front, however, it’s a very comfortable place to be, and the car is a wonderful choice for those without kids or many passengers who want a city-centric ride. I couldn’t get my head around the small car at first, but it totally makes sense if you just want a small ride that still offers comfort and safety. To me, a similar positioning points to a new place for the S1 and other systems to be. Easy to use, reliable, work reducing, but with premium features. I, for one, think that in addition to the S1 basic and the regular S1, there could also be room for the S1 Luxury, which keeps the small form factor and adds more premium features.

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