It’s often the details that make the difference. This is the case with our new PowTReX system suction lance for 3D printing. On the one hand, the new suction lance offers high suction power. At the same time, the suction lance cannot get stuck into the powder bed or on smooth surfaces, which would require a lot of manpower from the operator.
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More InformationIn addition, a constant flow of air is ensured to convey the metal powder to the vacuum conveyor. This prevents the metal powder from building up in the suction hose and making it difficult to hold the hose.
The adjustable secondary air (often referred to as feeding air) on the new suction lance makes all the difference. For the operator, this means much more comfortable handling of the suction lance when extracting the metal powder.
To demonstrate this, we set up a small experiment and filmed it. In this test we did not have a 3D printer available, so we used a sheet metal tray to simulate the build box of a 3D printer. This also meant an additional challenge for the suction lance. While in the 3D printer the construction job is lifted out of the build box – as if on a platter – the suction lance has to work in the depth of the tray in the experiment. The construction job was modelled for the experiment using a plastic 3D printer.
We have also added a large pressure gauge and connected it to the vacuum pump. The test shows that the negative pressure during suction of the powder is in the range of approx. 0.4 – 0.5 bar. Within this range, a large air volume is sucked in by the vacuum pump, thus generating a strong and optimum suction power. If the suction lance were to get stuck in the powder bed or on a container wall, for example, the vacuum would rise to approx. 0.8 bar and at the same time the air stream would drop to a low value. The test shows that such an unfavourable situation is avoided by the adjustable secondary air.
The new suction lance with adjustable secondary air can also be easily retrofitted to existing PowTReX systems.
