3D Printing Powder Recovery System Cuts Material and Labor Costs

Millburn, NJ — A new dust-tight, fully automated 3D-ReKlaimer Powder Recovery System for 3D Additive Manufacturing (AM) printing systems recovers and reconditions used powders to exacting particle sizes, reducing waste and lowering operating costs while preventing contamination of the product and plant environment.

The system can reclaim metal powders utilized in all current additive manufacturing technologies including Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), Binder Jetting, Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS), Selective Laser Melting (SLM), Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF), Laser Metal Fusion (LMF), and Electron Beam Melting (EBM). The metal powder recovery system is offered in custom configurations to suit any AM requirement.

The unit can accept bottles of used powder connected manually, or is offered with an integral vacuum conveying system that automatically transfers used powders from the build chamber into a filter receiver/hopper located above the screening chamber of the 3D-ReKlaimer system.

Similarly, screened powders ready for reuse can be discharged into bottles for manual connection to the inlet of 3D printers, or can be transferred automatically by an integral pneumatic conveyor that discharges into a filter receiver/hopper located above the 3D printer inlet.

Manufactured by Kason Corporation, the self-contained, pre-engineered system is ready to connect and run, and can serve multiple 3D printing stations when equipped with casters. Automated controls with an HMI simplify operation and minimize involvement of plant personnel.

The 24 in. (610 mm) diameter VIBROSCREEN vibratory screener imparts multi-plane, inertial vibration that causes on-size metal powder particles to pass through apertures in the screen, and oversize particles to travel across the screen surface into a sealed container. A Kasonic ultrasonic anti-blinding device, supplied as standard, transmits ultrasonic frequencies to the screen, allowing sifting as fine as 25 µm/500 mesh with no screen blinding.

The closed-loop system can be purged with inert gas to isolate contamination-sensitive powders from ambient air and moisture.

Stainless steel construction finished to sanitary standards eliminates dead spots, allowing total evacuation and easy cleaning. Optional HEPA filtration and ground resistance monitoring further enhances emission containment and operator safety.

Kason also provides high-efficiency, fine-mesh screening solutions suitable for polycarbonate, ABS plastic, polyester, nylon, glass filled polyamide, epoxy resin powders and other fine plastics used in 3D printing and manufacturing.