Lasertech reduces AM powder sieving time from 1 day to 1 hour
Automated powder recovery is critical in additive manufacturing (AM). It ensures material consistency for better quality builds, reduces powder wastage and significantly reduces operator exposure.
In powder-based processes such as laser powder bed fusion, unused material must be carefully recovered, sieved, and reused without contamination. Even small variations in particle size or quality can impact build integrity and repeatability. For manufacturers operating in the industrial AM sector, implementing an automated powder handling system is essential to maintain good quality parts.
Lasertech is one of those manufacturers, providing a range of services using advanced laser technologies including laser welding, hardening and marking. Alongside these areas of expertise, Lasertech uses metal and polymer additive manufacturing (AM) to produce high quality prototypes for the automotive, defence, and medical technology sectors.
Their AM setup features four EOS M290 industrial 3D printers, using materials such as aluminum, Inconel and 316L. Two printers are dedicated exclusively to aluminum, while the two other M290’s are using various powders.
The challenge of manual powder sieving in additive manufacturing
Manual powder sieving in additive manufacturing is often inefficient, inconsistent, and resource-intensive, especially when handling fine or reactive materials. The process requires significant operator involvement, increasing labor costs and increasing the risk of human error. In addition, exposure to fine metal powders raises health and safety concerns and open handling increases the risk of contamination that compromises material integrity and part performance. These challenges make manual sieving difficult to scale. This was the issue faced by Lasertech, where traditional methods quickly became a bottleneck.
Lasertech first relied on hand sieving aluminum powder, a process that quickly proved slow and labor-intensive. For a full 40‑kilogram batch, it would take an entire day to sieve by hand, pulling a technician away from other tasks for hours. This was a burden on the company’s already small AM team.
The solution, automated AM powder sieving and recovery
Lasertech invested in our Russell AMPro® Sieve Station to automate powder recovery and significantly enhance their productivity. With the system installed, operators can vacuum aluminium powder directly from the build chamber into sealed containers within the sieve station, making refilling the EOS M290 3D printer fast and efficient.
Since adopting the AM powder handling solution, Lasertech has reduced the sieving time for a 40‑kilogram batch of aluminium powder from an entire day to less than one hour.
Additionally, because aluminium powder is highly reactive, the EOS M290 typically requires argon gas to maintain an inert environment. However, our Russell AMPro® Sieve Station is engineered to safely convey and sieve reactive materials, eliminating the need for argon during powder handling.
As a result, Lasertech now uses aluminium powder far more efficiently. Compared to its previous manual recovery method, Lasertech generates less waste and relies on less virgin powder, reducing the costs and environmental impact associated with powder disposal.
What our clients say
I really like the machine. We don’t waste any powder and have never had any downtime on the machine.
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About Russell Finex
We are the only manufacturer in the world that makes our own screening and filtration equipment alongside ultrasonic mesh deblinding systems. We do this for virtually every industry around the world and, with over 90 years of experience, we’ve helped the process industry with measurable impact.
We partner with customers to help them enhance their production lines. By combining high-quality equipment, deep expertise, and the ability to customize solutions, we deliver results while acting responsibly and ethically toward both our customers and the environment.
Contact us today to learn how you can benefit from our sieving solutions.
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Frequently asked questions:
What is additive manufacturing?
Additive manufacturing (AM) is a process of creating objects by building them layer by layer from digital designs. Unlike traditional manufacturing methods that cut or remove material, additive manufacturing adds material only where needed, resulting in less waste and greater flexibility.
What materials are used in additive manufacturing?
Common materials used in additive manufacturing include:
- Plastics (PLA, ABS, nylon)
- Metals (titanium, aluminum, stainless steel)
- Resins and polymers
- Ceramics and composites
- Biocompatible materials (used in healthcare)
What is automated powder recovery?
Automated powder recovery is a process in additive manufacturing that collects, sieves, and reuses unused additive manufacturing powder after a 3D printing job in a simple one button operation.
Why is automated powder recovery important in additive manufacturing?
Automated powder recovery is important because it:
- Reduces material waste
- Increases cost efficiency by reusing expensive powders
- Improves workplace safety by limiting operator exposure to fine particles
- Ensures consistent print quality through controlled material handling
Can I trial automated powder recovery equipment at Russell Finex?
Yes, we offer machine trials for our automated powder recovery solutions. You can send your materials for testing or trial our equipment at your own facility to see how the equipment performs in real-world conditions.