SERVICES

Post-processing

What is post-processing?

Post-processing plays a vital role in transforming raw 3D-printed metal parts into finished, functional components that meet your desired specifications and applications.

It ensures surface roughness, porosity, structural integrity, and residual stress are all sufficiently accounted for and guarantees the overall quality of your component.

We combine our expertise with others

To ensure the highest part quality, lowest lead times and reduced costs, we collaborate with trusted post-processing partners in the industry.

We strive to be the best at solving problems and providing turnkey solutions; as such, we work with some of the best post-processing providers and subcontractors to deliver exceptional part quality.

And, as with our other production stages, we always seek to find a solution that uses a cost-efficient and time-effective manufacturing route to create a component that fits your exact specifications.

Our in-house expertise

Build Setup & Manufacturing Strategy
Depowdering
Quality Control
Metrology

Our partners

Machining and Part Substrate Removal
Heat Treatment
Surface Treatments
Part Cleaning- FOD
NDT
Fabrication and Finishing

Almost all metal 3D-printed parts need some CNC machining in the post-processing stage. Through our partnership with Kingsbury UK, the Additure team have direct access to subcontractors who specialise in turning, grinding and milling.

For you, this means any part or parts you commission are finished and machined reliably and repeatedly, protecting the quality of the final component.

It is imperative that the finish machining is understood at the early planning phase as this ensures the as-built AM component arrives in the correct condition of supply and is able to be fixtured and datumed accurately.

Additure has accredited supply chain partners to provide both stress relief and further heat treatment processes.

Post-processing steps like heat treatment, annealing and Hot Isostatic Pressing are essential when we look to relieve a part’s residual stresses and improve its structural integrity and material properties.

As with any standard manufacturing process, we follow specific work instructions for handling components upon completion of the build.

We use a variety of processes, from a simple visual check to optical scanning, to ensure build quality and conformities prior to moving the part further down the process chain.

There may be a need to validate some key attributes of the part, such as geometrical tolerances, part cleanliness, or powder removal.

Additure has vast experience in understanding and utilising supply chain partners for NDT, such as component flushing, CMM optical scanning, and CT scanning, to name a few.

Additure will work with you to select the most appropriate NDT methods to meet time, cost, and quality requirements.

For final part applications and assemblies, customers may stipulate a need for specific surface treatments to increase performance, extend the life of the part, and prevent corrosion.

Additure has vast experience working with these processes and supply chain partners to execute these types of processes.

OUR EXPERTISE:

Depowdering

One of the potential downsides of LPBF is that complex parts still contain powder after manufacturing. While manual and liquid cleaning methods exist, the results are often inadequate and sometimes dangerous.

Our partnership with Solukon provides the solution. Their automated process uses vibration to gently depowder your metal parts. Most importantly, this method is reproducible. If you work in an industry with demands for cleanliness and safety, depowdering consistently and reliably is essential.

1. Set-up

Parts are removed from the build chamber and transported to the automated depowdering machine.

2. Programming

Using automated and programmable paths, the depowdering machine cleans the part of excess powder safely and efficiently.

3. Powder residue

Leftover powder and residues are collected in a sealed chamber at the bottom of the machine.

4. Waste management

Excess powder can then be disposed of or recycled as needed.

LEARN:

Why is post-processing crucial for Metal AM?

Post-processing is an essential and integral part of the Metal AM process, ensuring that your final components are ready for their intended applications.

Improved surface finish

The surface roughness of parts produced with Metal AM sometimes doesn’t meet the requirements of certain applications. Post-processing steps like machining, polishing, and blasting can improve a part's surface finish. This enhances aesthetics and ensures components are ready for their intended use.

Performance benefits

Most customers need their parts to meet various functional requirements, and post-processing is used to impart resistance to corrosion and wear, or to coat and plate to improve conductivity and aesthetics. Tensile and fatigue performance can also be improved with various post-processing techniques owing to higher performance and component life.

Quality control

Although QC starts at the feasibility stage, Inspections and NDT all come under post-processing to verify that a part meets its required tolerances, properties and finish. This step is crucial for industries that need parts to be qualified for their industry standards, like aerospace, motorsport and medical.

We have the LRQA certification, which gives us the seal of approval when it comes to executing quality control within the wider QMS, which is something that is expected and delivered to all our customers.

Have a question?
Or want to learn more about Metal AM?

We take our belief in transparency and education seriously. Feel free to contact us with any questions regarding your designs, or if you just want to learn more about Metal AM.

Metal additive manufacturing you can count on

Post-processing

What is post-processing?

Post-processing plays a vital role in transforming raw 3D-printed metal parts into finished, functional components that meet your desired specifications and applications.

It ensures surface roughness, porosity, structural integrity, and residual stress are all sufficiently accounted for and guarantees the overall quality of your component.