By Joshua Evans MEng (Hons) IChemE, Applications Engineer and Head of BOFA Academy
What’s the difference between 3D printing and additive manufacturing (AM)? Both are actually synonyms for the same fundamental process, but increasingly AM is becoming associated with a scaling up for the mass production of product.
There’s less ambiguity about how we refer to the hardware – here 3D print technology is the accepted norm for describing the equipment. However, whatever the terminology, it’s clear that this manufacturing process is accelerating for a number of important reasons.
A few years ago, manufacturing was driven by traditional molding and tooling to produce high volumes of parts. 3D printing was used mainly for prototyping or the bespoke production of high value components in advanced industries such as aerospace.
Today, innovations in equipment technology and materials science mean that more manufacturers are looking at the cost break-points for mass printing products. This isn’t due entirely to technology, it’s also the result of recent supply chain issues, with delays in parts from overseas suppliers limiting production capabilities. To overcome this issue, manufacturers are turning to AM on a larger scale to ensure parts security.
So, what does this mean for the enabling systems that support this additive manufacturing revolution, notably for the fume extraction technology that is core to maintaining a safe operating environment and keeping production moving? Systems such as those designed and produced by BOFA are essential elements in the manufacturing process.
The first of these important attributes – the contribution to atmosphere management – helps filter the particles and/or gases emitted during an AM process and return filtered air into the workspace. Many of these gases and particles give off a smell – which is usually the first thing noticed by operatives – and some can be potentially harmful to human health. At the same time, there is growing awareness of the nanoparticles also emitted – these are invisible to the human eye but still need to be controlled.
The mix of gases and particles will vary according to the 3D print process and the materials being worked.. Many may not realise that stereolithography processes can give off more particles than filament printing processes (Stefaniak et al. 2019).
New functional materials also present a challenge for manufacturers. For example, in a 3D print process, PEEK (Polyetheretherketone) creates a mist that can settle on hardware and the printable object. It is essential that these emissions are extracted to keep the print chamber clean and assure the quality of the finished product.
Whether new resins or polymer resins, polymer filaments or metal and polymer powders, the evolution of these materials involves close working relationships between materials scientists, 3D print technology providers and extraction manufacturers such as BOFA to ensure the new formulations not only deliver from a product perspective, but that emissions are appropriately filtered. BOFA’s in-house scientific expertise is increasingly important in designing the multi-stage filtration architecture that will help capture any resultant gases or particles.
This is particularly true for new generation functional materials which often require higher temperature 3D print environments for processing. Research into 3D emissions undertaken by BOFA showed that the higher the temperatures required by the material’s properties, the greater the likelihood for both off-gassing, which can be toxic and smelly, and increased particulate emissions.
These evolving trends in AM, particularly as the sector eyes the establishment of larger scale print farms, also require innovation in extraction system design. For example, BOFA’s 3D PrintPRO 4 now includes more advanced multi-stage gas filtration, including a deeper carbon bed to filter a greater volume of fume. This helps extend filter life and helps create safer, odourless print operations. The redesign includes a higher air flow, enabling multiple 3D printers to be hooked up to a single unit.
Joshua Evans is an applications engineer at BOFA, a world-leading UK business that meets the fume and dust extraction needs of multiple industry sectors in over 120 countries.
