Description
Formlabs Fuse Blast
Formlabs Fuse Blast
Achieve professional, consistent parts that are clean to the touch faster and easier than ever before with Fuse Blast, an easy-to-use, fully automated cleaning and polishing solution for post-processing SLS 3D printed parts. Fuse Blast seamlessly integrates into the Fuse Series ecosystem and streamlines your post-processing workflow, empowering you to fully clean a whole build chamber of printed parts within 30 minutes and drastically reducing labor time and cost. With the optional Polishing System, Fuse Blast takes your parts to another level by polishing them to a smooth, semi-gloss, and dye-ready surface finish, to deliver consistent, professional-grade results every time.
- Standalone hardware
- Hand-held gun blasting parts
- Parts tumbling
- Assisted manual mode
Can I post-process my parts with Fuse Blast only, without Fuse Sift?
Fuse Blast enables users to clean parts extracted from the cake, even if they haven’t been previously depowdered. This enables users to reduce the time spent on Fuse Sift to 5-10 minutes. Though it is not mandatory, Fuse Sift is a critical part of the Fuse ecosystem that enables users to reclaim, mix, and store used powder for future prints, serving as the powder management hub of the ecosystem. For a seamless workflow, we recommend using Fuse Sift and Fuse Blast in combination to ensure a smooth, automated process for powder management and part cleaning in a contained environment. For low-volume users for whom manual labor is not a blocker, Fuse Sift can be replaced by Fuse Depowdering Kit prior to media blasting.
Can I polish parts in Fuse Blast?
Fuse Blast can clean parts with glass media, as well as polish parts with specialty plastic media with the drop-in polishing upgrade. The polishing function requires an optional add-on that can be easily installed by the customer in the Fuse Blast to enable this function. We are announcing it at the same time as we are launching Fuse Blast, however this function/product will be available in H1 2024. We will not be taking orders for this product at the time of launch for Fuse Blast. Polishing parts will require to switch media in Fuse Blast (see details below), after which parts can be both cleaned and polished in one step
How long does it take to post-process parts with Fuse Blast?
The typical post-processing time on the Fuse Series ecosystem should be around 15-30 minutes in total for most cases. This includes the following steps:
- 5 to 10 mn extracting parts from the powder with Fuse Sift (manual)
- 10 to 15 mn cleaning time with Fuse Blast (automatic or manual)
- and/or (optional) 10 to 15 mn polishing with Fuse Blast (automatic or manual) [this step also cleans parts]
Note that some factors such as the material used, part geometry, number of parts, desired powder reclaim, and wear level of the media itself can influence the cleaning time required.
How much labor is involved in operating Fuse Blast?
Fuse Blast is an automated solution for part cleaning and polishing, therefore manual labor should be minimal in the vast majority of cases.
- With the automatic part cleaning workflow, the user must carry the parts from the Fuse Sift over to the basket of Fuse Blast using the transfer container, then press the “Start” button for the automatic cleaning cycle to begin. For most parts, this level of cleaning is sufficient.
- With the manual cleaning workflow, the user can immediately switch from automatic to “Manual Assisted” (fixed blaster arm) or “Handheld” mode and to manually clean parts. This mode is recommended for large parts or parts that are too delicate to tumble.
How is Fuse Blast enabling a shorter workflow on Fuse Sift?
Fuse Blast is equipped with a passive media filtering system that separates the used powder from the blasting media. This prevents media saturation and extends media life, which ensures high-quality cleaning and reduces changeover costs. Thanks to this, it is no longer necessary to thoroughly depowder parts in Fuse Sift. Users can simply extract the part from the cake and throw the powdery part (see left picture below) into Fuse Blast, without impacting media saturation or the final cleaning result
