New project to automate 3D printing post-processing

Renishaw is collaborating with UK start-up Additive Automations, as part of a project to automate metal additive manufacturing (AM) post-processing.

The project, which uses collaborative robots (cobots) to perform support structure removal, could reduce the average cost per part by 25%, improving AM's potential as a cost-effective option for large volume production lines.

Sheffield-based Additive Automations creates robotic systems to automate additive manufacturing. After obtaining funding from UK and Canadian bodies, its founder and CEO, Robert Bush, collaborated with both Renishaw and the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC).

Since August 2019, Renishaw has been assisting Additive Automations' progress by providing its industry leading AM expertise.

Renishaw provided four examples of AM builds so the start-up could demonstrate its support structure removal system. The four AM parts were designed for medical, oil and gas, automotive and mechanical engineering applications.

Testing its robotic system on parts already being used in industrial applications will help Additive Automations demonstrate the potential of its product.

The project, named Separation of Additive-Layer Supports by Automation (SALSA), aims to use robotics and deep learning to digitalise some of the few remaining manual processes left in AM.

Cobots were chosen for their high payload-to-size ratio and integrated force sensors, which collect data to determine the geometry of AM parts. Software then analyses the data, using digital twin technology. The output is then used to determine where the support structures are so that they can be removed using an end-effector tool.

“Automating support removal and finishing in AM completely changes the economics when scaling up AM, and for the first time makes it feasible for manufacturers around the world to adopt this technology in rapid production,” explained Mr Bush. “The digitalisation of AM also comes with an increase in quality, traceability and repeatability. Given that on average almost two thirds of post-processing costs are from finishing and support structure removal, we believe automation can reduce costs by an average of 25% per part.”

“Improvements in post-processing could bring AM to the forefront of new applications in medical and aerospace applications,” explained Bryan Austin, director of AM sales at Renishaw. “An automated manufacturing process could make AM adoption more appealing to manufacturers operating large volume production lines.”

Renishaw www.renishaw.com/additive