Automated Cleaning and Surface Finishing of MJF PA12 Printed Parts with AM Solutions Post-Processing Technology
Renault Flynn will invest in a new machine for the automatic cleaning of polymer parts printed on the powder bed at the end of 2022, integrating post-processing technologies for its AM solutions.
Refactory Renault’s 3D printing workshop in Flins prints prototype parts, manufacturing support tools and production vehicle parts for the needs of the group and external companies. With more than 20 years of experience in additive manufacturing, French car manufacturer Renault Group has opened its own 3D printing center in Flins, in the Paris region. The center is equipped with 18 polymer 3D printers spread over 500 square meters, as well as a dedicated post-processing area, equipped with AM Solutions surface finishing and coloring machines.
Additive Manufacturing at Renault – Investing in the Future
Investing in the future is part of Groupe Renault’s DNA. That’s why it was natural that the company embarked on additive manufacturing almost 20 years ago. It started with a wire deposition process to design tools. In the meantime, additive manufacturing has been developed in various production sites. In 2020, the Refactory project was launched at Renault-Flynns, focusing on four main areas of activity: Re-trofit, RE-energy, Re-cycle and Re-start. My goal is To extend the life of vehicles and refurbish automotive parts, AM Solutions serves the needs of both the Group and external companies, in addition to printing prototype parts, manufacturing support tools, and production vehicle parts. According to Mélanie CHEVÉ, Additive Manufacturing Process Manager at Renault Flins, “Industrial 3D printing needs to be reliable, repeatable, and efficient in terms of cost, quality, and lead time.” This was the challenge AM Solutions set for Renault Flins.
Optimized post-processing with AM Solutions S1
For Renault parts, many post-processing tasks were still performed manually. Manual post-processing was time-consuming, labor-intensive and produced inconsistent results. To optimize this, Renault Flynn selected AM Solutions’ 3D post-processing technology S1 post-processing machine. The machine is designed to reduce blasting and cleaning times and improve the durability and appearance of dyed parts. So the challenge was to automatically clean, color and finish parts printed in MJF PA 12.
Innovative and versatile solutions for cleaning and finishing surfaces
The S1 machine answered the challenge faced by Renault Flins regarding the post-processing of parts from a powder-based polymer printing process. The installation impresses in that cleaning and surface finishing can be performed in one self-contained unit and with only one processing medium. The S1 can effectively remove residual powder after printing automatically. Constant rotation of the work piece during the cleaning process ensures consistent and repeatable blasting results. An ergonomic design combined with a process-optimized nozzle arrangement for automatic operation complete the whole package. Thanks to its compact and robust design, this versatile solution can be easily integrated into any production line, offering maximum reproducibility, traceability and cost-efficiency.
“The ability to use the S1 with different blast programs, different recipes and different media was what sparked the post-processing project,” says Nicholas Blondell’s Flynns. 3D Printing team.
What our customers say:
“We are grateful for Rösler – AM Solutions’ support with installation, set-up and testing to ensure optimal performance and results.”
The privately owned Rösler Oberflächentechnik GmbH has been active in the field of surface treatment and surface finishing for more than 80 years. As a global market leader, we offer a comprehensive range of equipment, consumables and services for mass finishing and shot blasting technology for various industries. Our range of around 15,000 consumables, developed in our customer experience centers and laboratories around the world, is particularly useful for solving your individual finishing needs. Under the brand name AM Solutions, we offer numerous equipment solutions and services in the field of additive manufacturing/3D printing. Finally, our central training center, the Rösler Academy, offers practical, hands-on seminars on mass finishing, shot blasting and additive manufacturing. The Rösler Group has a global network of 15 locations and around 150 distributors.
For more information, please see below. Rosler
