All tidied up: Customizable cleaning solution for light-based 3D printing

3D printing allows the production of all kinds of possible and unimaginable shapes out of polymers. But as the saying goes, one cannot make an omelette without breaking eggs – in a metaphorical sense, this is also the case when it comes to the 3D printing process. In most cases, material residue must be removed manually and then gets discarded. Cubicure shows a different way that's automated, customizable, and sustainable.

Dr. Busetti, why is the industrial scale-up of post-processing 3D printed products so difficult?

Dr. Bernhard Busetti: Until now, you had to meticulously clean 3D-printed components by hand. That's why an industrial scale-up could only be achieved by a significant increase in manpower and totally contradicts the principles of automation of digital manufacturing.

What is your company's solution for this problem?

Busetti: We offer industrial companies a cleaning solution that can be individually optimized and removes material residues speedily from even the most delicate components to prepare them for automated post-processing. The basic process comprises two key steps: the centrifugal removal of material residue from the building platform and the subsequent fine cleaning and drying in a cleaning plant. We assist users in selecting the required cleaning steps for their respective application.

What are the advantages of your innovative process?

Busetti: Our cleaning solution enables the additive manufacturing and post-processing of high-precision components in the double-digit million range per year. The advantages of 3D printing now also apply to industrial series production. The result is production flexibility, lower costs, and maximum material economy. Our post-processing solutions deliver additional savings, improve workplace safety standards, and promote a more sustainable operation. The cleaning plant is highly efficient. A built-in distillation unit recycles the cleaning agent, ensuring that even at very high throughput rates, only a small amount of solvent is required.

What happens to the material that becomes "waste" because of the cleaning process?

Busetti: The excess material can simply be reused. Thanks to centrifugal force, the spun-off residual resin is collected in a container and subsequently recycled through the 3D printing process.

Your solution is another step on the road to fully digital production. What are the next steps for the future?

Busetti: Cubicure technology already covers the entire digital production chain, ranging from preparing digital components to the finished part. The next step is the complete automation of this process: We are working closely with our customers to find the solution it takes.