Cleaning a 3D print in Quill Vogue’s wash system [Source: Fabbaloo]

I had a chat with representatives from Quill Vogue about their equipment.

The UK-based company produces a number of devices, each designed to provide post-processing services for a specific type of 3D printing process. As readers may recall, each process tends to demand a different activity to finish the print.

In fact, they offer equipment to handle most of the large industrial 3D print gear from vendors such as Stratasys, 3D Systems, EOS and others. Their solutions cover:

• FDM

• ProJet

• SLM

• SLS

• PolyJet

In all, they offer nine different solutions:

Quill Vogue Static

A static workstation designed to gently blast support material from Stratasys PolyJet prints. The station uses an external supply of pressurized water (which could be from mains), and is made from marine-grade materials.

Quill Vogue XL Static

A larger version of the Static wash station that can accommodate larger parts made on PolyJet equipment, such as the Objet Connex 500. Bright lighting and wiper-equipped windows allow the operator a clear view of the action.

Quill Vogue Mobile

More than just a Static unit with wheels, the Mobile system involves an onboard 50L tank of water that is recyclable, making this device truly mobile. This allows the device to be used without any prior installation of water source and drain.

Quill Vogue XL Mobile

The XL Mobile is similar to the Mobile version, but offers a larger volume to accommodate parts printed on bigger equipment.

Quill Vogue Hot Wash

The Hot Wash is intended for use with 3D Systems’ ProJet equipment that prints using a wax-like support material. The Hot Wash very quickly dissolves this support material even in crevices as small as 0.5mm due to a combination of recycled hot water and variable pressure.

Quill Vogue Hot Soak

The Hot Soak device is designed to handle Stratasys FDM parts, which print with a solid support material, typically SR-30. This material is slowly dissolved in standard Stratasys equipment, but it takes time. The Hot Soak uses an ingenious combination of advanced detergent and smart programmability to dramatically reduce the cleaning time.

Quill Vogue Cold Soak

Quill Vogue’s Cold Soak 3D print post-processing device [Source: Fabbaloo]

The cold soak device is intended for use with Stratasys PolyJet prints, where soluble support is dissolved by programming the temperature, time and agitation.

Quill Vogue SLM Wash

The SLM wash is intended for use with parts 3D printed on metal powder systems. The idea is to completely remove any stray metal particles that might not have fused during printing and have somehow lodged into crevices in the part. This is a critical issue for anyone producing certified parts, and the SLM Wash uses recycled and filtered water to blast away any loose powder.

Quill Vogue SLS Wash

Quill Vogue’s 3D print wash system [Source: Fabbaloo]

The SLS Wash removes loose powder from prints made on powder-based SLS systems, typically nylon materials. The SLS Wash uses a 50 bar water pressure to blast away stray material from fresh prints.

Quill Vogue Color Dyeing

Nylon 3D prints dyed using Quill Vogue’s coloration process [Source: Fabbaloo]

The Quill Vogue folks told me about their color dyeing process, which seems to be part of the Cold Soak device. They say they use no “nasty chemicals”, which is a bonus.

But the interesting part is that they can apparently remove support structures and dye parts at the same time! I’ve not heard of this approach previously, and it likely increases the cycle time for completing parts, at the cost of some extra dye, which they say lasts for a week or so.

If you’re in the market for advanced post-processing equipment, you might want to check out Quill Vogue’s products.

Via Quill Vogue