An immediate advantage gained from implementing this system is that it enables faster resin swaps and can be purchased with multiple blade-reservoirs - allowing the operator to remove a blade for cleaning and immediately replace it with another; thus ensuring minimum down-time of the SLA machine at any time and maintaining maximum productivity.
The system has been developed to fit with all large-frame SLA machines with no modifications required to the recoating system.

The Materialise facility in Leuven employs a full range of RP technologies, for many diverse applications and SLA remains a core process for the company with in excess of 30 SLA machines on the premises. The TCST system supplied by AT 3D-SQUARED has proved invaluable for a number of reasons, not least because it can help save parts by enabling blade change-over mid-build in the event of a crash. Quick-connect vacuum fitting and a large viewing window on both sides to provide complete visibility at all times have also proved to be greatly useful during operation.

Bart Deweerdt, Maintenance and Machine Development for the Industrial Services division at Materialise, commented on the system's implementation and use at the Leuven site, “Thanks to the interchangeable recoater system, cleaning the blade is possible in just a few minutes and doing this before every build job gives us the confidence that every layer is deposited with the highest possible accuracy. Furthermore, changing and cleaning the recoater blade has never been so easy - what used to be a critical phase in the process has become a simple and fast operation.”

About Total C S Team, Inc.
TCST is a leader in providing support to Rapid Prototyping Users. TCST has the unique capability to integrate many years of practical application of RP systems with advanced analytical approaches to provide support to the users that will give them a competitive advantage now and in the future. Through the use of 6 Sigma methodologies, TCST has been able to develop process controls to proactively monitor processes providing its customers with cost savings derived by improved efficiency and part quality. This same methodology is utilized by TCST to work with our partners to develop the best solutions for RP system upgrades and reliability improvements. For more information, Contact TCST

About AT 3D-SQUARED
AT 3D-SQUARED was established in 2007 and offers a strategic consulting and support service for companies and organisations involved with RP&M technologies. With an extensive knowledge base, AT 3D-SQUARED is able to bring together all of the components that are vital for maximizing the capabilities of the technologies — software, hardware, materials and the human interface. Part of the company's philosophy is working in partnership with other organizations around the globe, and as such AT 3D-SQUARED is an exclusive reseller for Total Customer Support Team (TCST) in Europe.
AT 3D-SQUARED also offers the Metalise it ... plating process in the UK and Europe through its sister company 3DDC Ltd. www.at3d-squared.com