MecWash Systems worked alongside pioneering additive manufacturer, Material Solutions, to create a bespoke component cleaning system and brand-new chemical process to address the unique challenges of 3D printing.
Additive manufacturing (AM) has enabled companies to manufacture components with complex geometric shapes customised to meet challenging environments in aerospace, power generation and motorsport. By creating components layer by layer, engineers can literally think laterally during the design process. Components can be created from the inside out, incorporating integral features in places which traditional casting and machining simply can’t access.
The manufacturing process melts metal powders layer by layer, using lasers to trace slices of CAD models in layers of powdered high-performance metal alloys to form solid objects. The AM printing process leaves powder particles as residue which must be cleaned off. However, the metal used by Material Solutions is incredibly sensitive and can stain when cleaned.
The question is how to clean the various complex parts in a mix of sensitive super alloy materials without staining. This was the challenge set by Materials Solutions Ltd, a leading AM company based in Worcester.
The in-house chemist at MecWash, Dave Pawson drew on a lifetime of experience to solve the problem. His understanding of chemical wash solutions is unparalleled in the industry, having created thousands of unique solutions for MecWash customers over the years.
When presented with the chemical conundrum at Materials Solutions, and understanding the nature of the compounds involved, Dave set upon solving the problem:
“Here at MecWash, we love to embrace new challenges, and it is always exciting when trying to find a solution for customers complex washing requirements. We were determined to create a process that ensured the impressive components created by Materials Solutions would be entirely free from residual materials.
“The incomplete removal of residuals, such as powder, dye penetrant and coolant, can severely affect the component’s functionality and integrity. We took great care in analysing the samples to identify the opportunities and how we could attain a high-quality wash of the components,” said Doc.
Paul Jarratt, sales manager at MecWash, has worked with Dave for twenty years:
“We work with our customers to develop unique processes through evolution. Materials Solutions needed a parts washing system and an original chemical compound that could effectively clean their intricate components. After close consultation, the MWX600 was agreed to be the ideal system for the application to accommodate the range of component sizes.
“The MWX600 is phenomenally sophisticated, with ultrasonic cleaning, high flow washing, extended rinsing, and vacuum drying, all designed to provide the highest quality of component cleaning. The large wash chamber has a maximum load weight of 250kg, which is ample for the components manufactured by Materials Solutions.
“The business is currently creating components the size of a microwave and is planning to expand their capabilities to be able to manufacture components as big as a washing machine. I am excited to follow the progress of Materials Solutions in the future, and we will work alongside them to support their component cleaning needs as the business grows,” said Paul.
Materials Solutions was impressed with the detail of the approach by MecWash:
“We have been in business since 2006 and we are experiencing exceptional growth currently with a high demand for our work. This means that downtime would be detrimental to our productivity.
“As one of the premier metal additive service providers in the world, we work with some of the biggest names in global industry to solve complex engineering challenges. We have a strong focus on functional high-end prototypes and serial production applications for our services. The methods we use to design and manufacture components for our customers are second-to-none. The process is quicker, and more accurate than traditional casting methods.
“Working with high strength and high temperature materials to create reliable components are our daily business. We have almost twenty years’ experience of metal additive manufacturing which gives our team an immense understanding of the materials used in the process. We specialise in designing, creating and the optimisation of the components.
“Before working with MecWash, the components at Materials Solutions often required manual input, which slowed down productivity, and in this instance, mishandling this process could damage components. The components often feature very complex geometries, such as internal channels or lattice structures, which are challenging to clean thoroughly using conventional methods.
“The insights and support from MecWash have been exceptional and the cleaning results have boosted our efficiency. The understanding of the chemical compounds from MecWash has been transformative for Materials Solutions.”
John Pattison, managing director of MecWash, comments:
“Additive manufacturing is a buoyant sector of industry and Materials Solutions are well positioned to lead within the market. Our technical expertise is at the heart of our approach to cleaning components, and the challenge of washing additive manufactured components is a different proposition to traditional ones.
“The MWX600 is a world-class system that meets the most difficult cleaning challenges in industry. Released in 2024, the MWX600 is the result of three decades of expertise, innovation, and customer-driven development at MecWash. Its unmatched capacity and precision cleaning provides a new level of performance for manufacturers.
“We work closely with our customers throughout all stages of the manufacturing to ensure we achieve the best results possible. MecWash will continue to work alongside Materials Solutions to scale up the cleaning capabilities as the demand for their components increases,” said John.