The Augsburg-based company Solukon has presented an extension for its Digital Factory Tool (DFT). The software is designed to measure CO2 emissions in 3D printing for the first time and provide greater transparency.
The DFT is a sensor and interface solution for quality control and process validation in industrial 3D printing post-processing. According to Solukon, it records and evaluates relevant process data.
The update will now also record the energy consumption and CO2 emissions of the depowdering systems. To do this, the DFT measures factors such as compressed air and electricity consumption. Users can enter their specific CO2 values for electricity and compressed air. From this, the software then calculates the CO2 footprint.
According to Solukon CTO Andreas Hartmann, transparency in environmental behavior is essential today. This is in anticipation of future legal reporting requirements. From 2024, emissions from machines will also have to be listed in sustainability reports.
The expansion is also a response to customer feedback, says Hartmann. A large proportion of users wanted detailed consumption and emissions data. The DFT update meets the demand for full transparency in 3D printing.
In addition to CO2 values, the tool also records manual post-processing steps to measure the degree of automation. According to Solukon, the DFT is intended to help make 3D printing processes more efficient and sustainable.
The update will be available from the Formnext 2023 trade show. It is compatible with existing Solukon depowdering systems. Customers only need to update their software.
Solukon sees itself well positioned for the future with its sensor solution for 3D printing post-processing. Measurable consumption and emission values are becoming increasingly important in light of stricter regulations, the company says.
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