Specialist in fume extraction and filtration technology, BOFA International, has announced that it has developed an innovation in fume extraction to make the exchange of filters in metal additive manufacturing processes safer, faster and better for productivity.
The company says its new stand-alone AM 400 system uses patented technology that enables the filters that remove potentially harmful fume, gases and particulate from metal additive manufacturing to be exchanged on site without risking a thermal event. BOFA will be launching the new product at the RAPID + TCT show taking place in Chicago, September 13th-15th, where BOFA will be exhibiting in booth E7841.
The laser powder bed fusion process used in metal additive manufacturing needs to operate in an inert atmosphere because the materials worked risk spontaneous ignition should they come into contact with oxygen. As a consequence, when new filters are needed for these systems, up until now, equipment had to be shut down and moved to a safe area for the saturated filters to be removed and replaced by operatives wearing full PPE.
With the new system, filters are contained within a separate housing with a robust seal, enabling filter exchange to be completed quickly and safely without isolating the additive manufacturing equipment.
“This innovation in filtration design will lead to significant productivity gains for businesses involved in metal additive manufacturing,” Haydn Knight, Sales & Marketing Director at BOFA, commented. “This production process is used across multiple industry sectors to create high value components and products, and by enabling easier and safer filter exchange, end users are able to benefit from reduced downtime which translates into tangible productivity gains.”
The system has been developed specifically for the metal additive manufacturing market, offering high air flow potential up to a maximum flow of 190 cu ft/min and a maximum operating pressure of 250mBar, with low leakage at 30ml/min @ –10mBar.
In addition to enhancing filter exchange efficiency and safety, users will also benefit from patented innovations that optimize filter performance, enabling operators to monitor filter status and coordinate exchanges to match maintenance schedules.
“The AM 400 marks a significant advancement in extraction technology for metal additive manufacturing through a design that helps safeguard human health and product quality while delivering value-adding productivity improvements,” Knight added.
