AutoSmooth Project achieves full feedstock reuse in ColdMetalFusion
AM Solutions, part of Rösler Oberflächentechnik headquartered in Untermerzbach, Germany, together with Neue Materialien Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany, and Headmade Materials GmbH, headquartered in Wuerzburg, Germany, are advancing post-processing automation for ColdMetalFusion through the joint AutoSmooth project.
The goal of the project is to establish a seamless process chain that is perfectly aligned with the CMF process, an Additive Manufacturing technology that enables cost-efficient serial production of high-quality metal components, at volumes of up to one million parts per year.
The first AutoSmooth results are reported to have drawn significant attention within the Additive Manufacturing community: a new depowdering and surface finishing technology for green parts, developed in the first project phase, significantly reduces post-processing time compared with conventional methods. New investigations now confirm the potential of the technology and add a decisive lever: feedstock reuse. A key focus of the current research is the automated processing and recyclability of the feedstock, specifically the polymer-binder-enhanced metal powder used as the base material in CMF. Previous studies had shown that the material is fundamentally recyclable, but the latest findings go far beyond that.
Article: Inside Nikon’s metal AM strategy
Part 2: Scaling industrial production in Long Beach
| Read now |
Feedstock reuse as an economic and environmental breakthrough
“Right now, all indicators point to full, meaning 100%, reuse of the feedstock,” said Sven Amon, project engineer at Rösler, who leads the AutoSmooth project and has spent nearly a decade researching and advancing automation and industrial applications of Additive Manufacturing. “This is a milestone. Until now, during manual depowdering or fine depowdering, only part of the feedstock could be reused, depending on part geometry.”
Neue Materialien Bayreuth is currently examining in detail how the reuse of materials processed through AutoSmooth affects long-term performance. A comprehensive life-cycle analysis of the process media is expected by mid-next year. In parallel, test series are underway to determine the mechanical properties of parts made from recycled feedstock, with a special focus on static strength, fatigue resistance, and bending fatigue. These investigations are said to be closely supported by Headmade Materials, the inventor of ColdMetalFusion.
The complete recyclability of the feedstock is said to unlock significant cost-saving potential, as what was previously considered waste becomes a valuable resource. The closed material loop drastically reduces material costs, as the excess metal-powder feedstock that is not additively manufactured remains virtually indefinitely reusable. Combined with significantly reduced disposal costs, this creates a strong economic lever that makes CMF even more attractive for serial production.
The environmental impact is equally significant, as 100% reuse dramatically reduces the CO₂ footprint of the entire process chain, enabling a sustainable and resource-efficient production system. Even the specially tailored process media can be fully recycled and reused after cleaning and sieving, another lever for cost reduction and environmental relief.
This ability to keep valuable raw materials in a nearly loss-free closed loop could be one of the most valuable breakthroughs for the economic viability of metal AM, states the company.
Patented workpiece fixture for the most delicate components
In addition to post-processing, the project also focuses on handling highly complex green parts. These components cannot be clamped with conventional fixturing methods. Their structures are so delicate that they would be damaged in a traditional blasting process with a rotating basket. The team led by Sven Amon has developed a solution in which the fragile parts are embedded in a specially built mesh that is clamped directly into the post-processing system. This patented handling concept is fully automatable and supports serial processing even for highly complex structures, another step toward end-to-end automation.
Unlocking the full potential of CMF
“Interest in CMF continues to rise – against the general trend in the additive industry,” Amon shared. “That’s because CMF makes metal printing economically viable, particularly in prototyping and serial production. With the new AutoSmooth post-processing method, the process can now reach its full potential.”
The project, scheduled to run until summer 2026, forms the foundation for a new, fully automated post-processing system from AM Solutions. Initial test runs in a pilot setup are already showing promising results. In the coming months, the feedstock-analysis findings will be integrated into the pilot system.
“With the system we intend to develop based on these research results, we will expand our established 2-in-1 approach – depowdering and smoothing – by adding sustainability. The result is a 3-in-1 process precisely tailored to the needs of metal-printing customers,” Amon added. “This makes the production of highly demanding components – such as impellers – economically and industrially scalable. A decisive step that will allow CMF to establish itself as the leading 3D metal printing technology.”
At Formnext visit:
AM Solutions , Hall 11.1, Booth E41
Neue Materialien Bayreuth, Hall 12.1 Booth C71
Headmade Materials Hall 11.1 Booth C51
www.nmbgmbh.de
www.headmade-materials.de
