Formnext 2025: AM Solutions automates powder management and unpacking

For Formnext 2025, AM Solutions announces the completion of a beta program for two systems that address critical steps in polymer 3D printing: powder preparation with the F1 and automated unpacking with the D1. Both systems were presented a year earlier as development versions and have since been tested under production conditions at industrial users.

The F1 focuses on the reproducible conditioning of used powder with fresh powder—a step that significantly influences mechanical part quality, surface homogeneity, and process stability in the SLS environment. At beta tester Formrise, the F1 is connected to eight printers with different build volumes; weekly powder demand there is around 380 kilograms. The system combines sieving and mixing with a dosing accuracy of ±2 percent, processes up to 45 kilograms per hour, and operates in 1.5-kilogram batches to limit mixing time and static charge. According to the company, the powder’s resting time dropped from the previous two to three days to a maximum of twelve hours. Thanks to the integrated ultrasonic sieve, the share of virgin powder could be reduced by up to five percent, which lowers material costs and improves resource utilization.

The D1 targets the unpacking of dense build jobs. A Swiss medical company used the system in testing to automate the manual step. According to the operator, pure unpacking time was halved; staffing effort decreased by up to 80 percent through automated loading and unloading. The parts can be transferred directly to downstream steps such as blasting. The closed process reduces powder contact and dust emissions, and different recovery rates can be set depending on the build job. During testing, it became apparent that complete cooling is not required, eliminating eight to ten hours of waiting time depending on geometry.

Both betas were integrated in close coordination with users—including software adjustments and on-site support. The results indicate that automated peripherals like F1 and D1 support series production capability in the SLS segment through validatable, safe, and plannable process chains.