Desktop Metal Shop: Cleaning Off Prints

An empty blend keg and fines jar must be inserted before excavating parts, and will be used to hold recyclable powder

Open the doors at the bottom of the powder station

Uncap the powder chute

Uncap a new blend keg

Pull out the drawer and place the blend keg in the circular cut out

Push in the drawer while holding the powder chute up

Making sure the O-ring is in place, attach the powder chute to the keg

Verify that the waste jar is properly installed

Install the fines jar on the cyclone on the side of the powder station

Ensure the O-ring seals properly

Attach the vacuum to the cyclone on the side of the powder station

Open the drying oven

With a partner, transfer the store keg into the powder station

It may be hot, so use heat gloves

Turn on the powder station with the white button

Use the control panel to start the sieving and dosing function

Move the store keg to the left side of the powder station

Slowly pour the metal powder into the hopper

Clean any excess powder off of the store keg using the brush and vacuum

Remove the store keg from the powder station

Cap and seal the keg

Clean the outside of the keg with a dry towel, and remember to clean again more thoroughly after all powder processes are done

At this point, the parts have been baked and will be held together enough to excavate them from the build cake

With a partner, move the build box from the drying oven to the powder station

The build box may still be hot, so use gloves

Be careful with the build cake, as the parts inside are still fragile

Close the door and start the vacuum

Release and remove the black gasket around the base of the build box

Release the pins on both sides of the build box

Move the gasket aside and begin de-powdering it with the brush and vacuum

Remove the gasket from the powder station

Wait for powder to settle before opening the door

Slowly lift the build box up and aside

Try to lift as straight up as possible until the box is clear of the build cake

Shaking or excessive movement can damage the parts

Clean powder off of the build box using the brush and vacuum

Be extremely cautious not to drag the brush or vacuum through the build cake

Remove the build box from the powder station

Part excavation is the hardest part of powder removal - be sure to use extreme caution and move slowly

It is best to move from the outside then towards the inside, due to parts being easier to excavate and cooler near the edges

Open the vent to allow more airflow can help remove metal powder

Regularly brush powder into the grate so that it can be sieved and recycled

Use the touch screen on the printer to look at the preview of the build job - it can be used to get an idea of where the parts are located

Several techniques can be used to excavate parts, and finger-digging is effective for parts that are completely buried

Using one finger, lightly dig through the cake until you begin to feel more solid powder

When you feel more solid powder, you have reached a part

Now using an even lighter touch, slowly excavate around the part to loosen it up

Try wiggling the part, gently

Lightly brush or blow off any excess powder

Remove the part from the powder station and set it on the baking sheet

The brushing technique can be useful to move powder away from buried parts

Using the smaller brush, slowly brush away the cake until you begin to see a part

Continue to brush away any excess powder around the part, gently

Try to lightly wiggle the part out

If the part does not budge with the slightest touch, continue excavating powder

Once the part is removed, brush or blow off any excess powder

Remove the part from the powder station and set it on the baking sheet

The air pick can be used to excavate parts, especially to blow powder away from areas of interest

The air pick sits on the far right and looks like a pen

The dial on the far left controls the pressure of the air pick

With the air pick turned on, begin to blow away the metal powder

Do not hold the air pick super close to the cake as this could inadvertently damage parts

Use a circular motion instead of concentrating in one spot

Once a part is revealed, two things can be done:

Use your finger to dig away any excess powder, and gently wiggle the part out

Lower the pressure of the air pick and blow away any excess powder

Remove the part from the powder station and set it on the baking sheet