Filtration technology boosts metal additive manufacturing productivity
A significant advance in extraction technology for metal additive manufacturing helps safeguard human health and product quality while delivering value-adding productivity improvements.
BOFA International (Poole, UK) has developed an innovation in fume extraction that makes the exchange of filters in metal additive manufacturing processes safer, faster, and better for productivity. The laser powder-bed fusion process used in metal additive manufacturing needs to operate in an inert atmosphere because the materials worked risk spontaneous ignition should they come into contact with oxygen. As a consequence, when new filters are needed for these systems, equipment has to be shut down and moved to a safe area for the saturated filters to be removed and replaced by operatives wearing full PPE—up until now.
The new standalone AM 400 system’s technology enables the filters that remove potentially harmful fumes, gases, and particulates from metal additive manufacturing to be exchanged on site without risking a thermal event. The BOFA’s AM 400 filters are contained within a separate housing with a robust seal, enabling filter exchange to be completed quickly and safely without isolating the additive manufacturing equipment.
This production process is used across multiple industry sectors to create high-value components and products, and by enabling easier and safer filter exchange, end users are able to benefit from reduced downtime, which translates into tangible productivity gains. The AM 400 extraction system offers high air flow potential up to a maximum flow of 190 cu ft/min and a maximum operating pressure of 250 mBar, with low leakage at <30 ml/min at -10 mBar.
In addition to enhancing filter exchange efficiency and safety, AM 400 system users will also benefit from patented innovations that optimize filter performance, enabling operators to monitor filter status and coordinate exchanges to match maintenance schedules.