PostProcess Releases New DEMI 910 Resin Removal System for Carbon L1 and M2 3D Printers

Coinciding with AMUG 2021, Carbon announced it had partnered with PostProcess Technologies for a resin removal system called the DEMI 910. Now, PostProcess has officially released the DEMI 910, as well as further details about the technology and how it is specifically tailored to Carbon’s L1 and M2 3D printers. We had a chance to speak to representatives from the two companies to learn more.

The DEMI 910 is described as a “full-stack resin removal solution specifically for the Carbon ecosystem,” using PostProcess’s Submersed Vortex Cavitation (SVC) technology and a Carbon-specific detergent to clean parts made with the company’s Digital Light Synthesis 3D printing process. The DEMI 910 then uses PostProcess’s AUTOMAT3D software and detergent to remove excess resin.

A series of Carbon L1 3D printers. Image courtesy of Carbon.

Due to the size and design of the machine, the entire build platform of the large-format L1 or two build platforms from M2 3D printers can be placed inside the DEMI 910 for automated resin removal. Because the parts never leave the build platform, productivity is increased, as are post-print cycle times and ergonomics for machine operators. PostProcess noted that several early access Carbon customers have already placed orders.

The ability of the DEMI 910 to handle an entire build platform from the L1 or two from the M2 represents a major advantage of the machine. In my previous article on the topic, I wondered if Carbon had some strategy to replace its existing Smart Part Washer with PostProcess technologies. However, in my conversation with Tim Avila, Carbon’s Vice President of Marketing, I learned that that was not the case.

The DEMI 910 rinsing station from PostProcess Technologies. Image courtesy of PostProcess Technologies.

Though the DEMI 910 does rely on intelligence features for optimum part rinsing, the Smart Part Washer includes elements that are more tailored to the M series than the PostProcess machine. In addition to being smaller than the DEMI 910, the Smart Part Washer automatically recognizes the resin that was printed and then relies on scripts to optimize and automate the wash cycle for that specific resin, as well as some of the part geometry. The time of the wash cycle and the rotational forces are then tailored to clean that print.

The DEMI 910 is meant for larger builds and does not include some of that same automation technology featured in the Smart Part Washer, such as geometry-optimized rinsing or the ability to automatically register the resin with which a component was made. Though the cycle for the PostProcess machine is automated in terms of the cleaning process, an operator still has to remove the parts from the washing solvent.

Carbon’s SpeedCell, featuring a Smart Part Washer alongside M2 and M1 3D printers. Image courtesy of Carbon.

“We have customers for the M series that just love the Smart Part Washer. It’s part of something we call our SpeedCell for customers that use M series platforms for more production-grade work. And that’s really what it’s great at. Our partnership with PostProcess has really been about expanding our ecosystem and building out Carbon’s partnerships, particularly around washing,” Avila said. “These just are two different systems that give our customers the choice around what they want based on their needs. If you’re doing higher volumes or bigger parts, the DEMI 910 is a great solution. If you want an automated solution that is designed really around the M series, the Smart Part Washer is a good choice, although you could also use the DEMI for that, too.”

The Head of Strategic Partnerships at PostProcess, Dean VonBank, highlighted that the DEMI 910 might also work for customers with a fleet of systems.

“[The DEMI 910] was designed specifically for the L Series. The initial conversation with Carbon was to determine how we could align with one another. We determined we could provide more just because of the size of the tank. For high-volume customers that have a mix of multiple printers, this could also be a solution that matches really well with their needs,” VonBank said.

This is just the beginning of the partnership between PostProcess and Carbon. As noted in the previous article and elsewhere on 3DPrint.com, the industry is now recognizing just how important post-processing is to industrializing additive manufacturing. In many ways, the fabrication technology itself is meeting the standards of end part production, but the overall workflow is now being addressed with greater attention. This is where companies like PostProcess come in.

Avila and VonBank were not able to comment on the specific roadmap the two firms had in mind. What Avila was able to say is, “I think you’re going to see more from Carbon and PostProcess particularly around the L series work that we’ve been doing.” The partners will be discussing the product launch and their collaboration in a webinar to be hosted on June 22, so it may be possible to get a better sense of where they are heading. In particular, I’m excited to see how greater automation will factor into future product releases, as that will further reduce the labor associated with 3D printing. As detailed in the “Automation, Additive Manufacturing and the Factory of the Future” report from SmarTech Analysis, automation will be key in the next stage of evolution for 3D printing.