PostProcess announced a rather interesting new resin cleaning system, the DEMI X 5000.
Resin removal is a mandatory step after resin printing, since prints will be wet with resin. If not removed, the drips will solidify on the print when cured. Typically this is done with a bath of IPA.
The simplest form of resin washing is simply to slosh your print in a tub of IPA by hand — with appropriate protective gloves, of course. But the DEMI X 5000 takes the cleaning concept to what seems to be the ultimate level by taking into account all manner of automation and efficiency.
In the DEMI X 5000, they don’t use IPA. Instead they have their own proprietary washing fluid, PLM-403-SUB, that is non flammable and therefore considerably safer than IPA. The wash fluid is agitated, which helps move the resin — but the DEMI X 5000 uniquely has “dual agitation”. The agitation takes place on two axes, making the fluid action more complex and able to push resin out of more niches.
The system is designed to handle very large parts, even those produced by huge SLA 3D printers. It has a chamber volume of 890 x 890 x 635 mm, and includes a lift system to assist with heavy prints.
The platform can be tilted at different angles to optimize cleaning for parts with peculiar geometries. For a production system you could identify the best angle for a particular part and then set the machine to that angle whenever it’s produced.
Of course the DEMI X 5000 includes a number of pre-programmed cleaning profiles for various combinations, and these can be customized for particular parts and resins.
PostProcess said the system requires only two minutes of operator time to set up a job, and then it can complete the cleaning in only eight minutes. That’s incredibly fast, and creates a mere ten minute turnaround time for parts. That should be quite welcome in production environments where time is critical.
Via PostProcess
