Individually designed orthopedic arm braces and arm support splints are just two of the many 3D-printed products made by IFC Intelligent Feeding Components GmbH in Oedheim, Germany. To guarantee a high degree of comfort for patients, the braces and splints must have an excellent surface finish. This finish is imparted with a S1 shot blast machine from AM Solutions – 3D post processing technology, which is a brand of Rösler Oberflächentechnik GmbH in Untermerzbach, Germany. (Rosler Metal Finishing USA LLC is in Battle Creek, Michigan.)
IFC has a 3D print department where high-value metal and plastic products are additively manufactured for a range of industries. Frequently, IFC utilizes innovative scans to create specific component designs for customers. Among other products, the company produces arm braces and support splints, which are designed and adapted by its orthopedic engineers.
To ensure a consistently fine surface quality in the long run, the company decided it needed to invest in a reliable and cost-efficient mechanical post processing piece of equipment, said Dominik Riegg, head of the additive manufacturing department at IFC. “We tested many different systems, before we finally got to talk to AM Solutions at the Formnext 2022 exhibition. What impressed us immediately was that the equipment, built in-house, is very sturdy and, thus, can handle any industrial environment. Moreover, the specialists at AM Solutions quickly understood what we need and with the S1 shot blast system they presented an optimal solution.”
At the AM Solutions Customer Experience Center in Untermerzbach, which covers 400 sq. m (4,306 sq. ft.), the IFC engineers were able to thoroughly test the equipment beforehand. At the same time, they learned which blast media was most suitable.
“We decided to use poly beads for our shot blasting process,” Riegg said. “This media may be a bit more expensive but offers a considerably longer service life than glass beads.
Another advantage of the beads is that they impart a surface finish with a more aesthetically pleasing color and a satin feel, he noted. “The glass beads penetrated the workpiece surface, which can be highly problematic in the medical field. With the poly beads, we achieve a smooth and highly homogeneous surface finish. This makes the wearing of the arm brace very comfortable.”
Prior to purchasing the S1 machine, the 3D-printed products had to be unpacked and shot blasted manually. With the machine, after the unpacking process, products are directly loaded into the shot blast machine for cleaning and surface finishing in one operation. This two-in-one solution requires only a single blast medium.
The continuous rotation of the workpieces in the shot blast machine guarantees gentle processing and repeatable blast results, according to Rösler. “With our manual shot blasting operation the finishing qualities were very unstable. Now we achieve consistent, high-quality surface finishes and, at the same time, save up to 70% in labor costs,” Riegg said.
The S1 system enables IFC to produce twice as many arm braces. “To remain cost-efficient, we must automate our manufacturing operations and must have total process stability. Post processing is an essential link in our manufacturing chain and is a lot more than just making a product ‘pretty.’ In the end, automated post processing is essential for achieving consistent, high qualities and allows us to expand our technological possibilities. Our S1 system amortized itself in 1.5 years, but its positive effects for our production will last for a long time.
