Arburg Inc. and Oryx Additive Partner to Revolutionize 3D Printing Post-Processing Efficiency

The journey of a 3D printed part doesn’t end when it comes off the build plate. In fact, one of the most critical and often underestimated phases in additive manufacturing (AM) is post-processing. This essential step, where parts receive their final functional and aesthetic touches—such as smoothing, cleaning, deburring, support removal, and surface preparation for painting or coating—is frequently where efficiency bottlenecks and significant production challenges arise. Post-processing can be a labor-intensive, time-consuming, and highly variable process, often requiring skilled manual labor, which can compromise part quality, consistency, and overall cost-effectiveness. For additive manufacturing technologies to truly mature and achieve widespread viability for commercial and industrial applications, the post-processing stage must be as streamlined, automated, and reliable as possible. Without this crucial automation, the inherent advantages of AM, such as rapid prototyping, design freedom, and on-demand manufacturing, can be severely undermined by arduous and inefficient finishing operations, making AM less competitive against traditional manufacturing methods for high-volume or critical applications. It is for these compelling reasons that the recently announced strategic partnership between Arburg Inc. and Oryx Additive marks a pivotal moment and a huge expansion of opportunity within the AM industry. This collaboration is set to significantly enhance and streamline the crucial processes of support material removal and surface finishing for a vast array of additive manufacturing projects, directly addressing some of the industry’s most pressing pain points and paving the way for more robust industrial adoption of 3D printing.

Arburg, a global powerhouse renowned for its leadership in the manufacture of plastic injection molding machines, brings decades of precision engineering and industrial expertise to the additive manufacturing landscape. With a deep understanding of material processing and industrial production cycles, Arburg is uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between traditional manufacturing and the newer possibilities of 3D printing. They are the innovative developers behind the Freeformer and the proprietary Arburg Plastic Freeforming (APF) process. The Freeformer represents a paradigm shift in AM, standing out as the first additive manufacturing machine to be developed by a company deeply rooted in plastic injection molding technology. This unique origin allows it to address a crucial market demand: the need for increased flexibility and models that offer low unit costs, all while building parts from proven, industrial-grade end-use material granulates. This approach ensures that parts are not just prototypes but functional components made from materials with known properties. Gerry Berberian, National Sales Manager for Additive at Arburg, Inc., emphasized this strategic alignment and the synergy with Oryx Additive, stating, “The Freeformer is the first additive manufacturing machine developed by a plastic injection molding technology company. It answers the market demand for increased flexibility and low unit cost models, built from proven end-use material granulates. The highly effective, simple, and very reliable post-processing available on the Oryx products were an ideal fit for our approach to market.” This statement underscores Arburg’s commitment not only to innovative printing technology but also to ensuring the entire workflow, including the often-overlooked post-processing, meets the stringent demands of industrial standards, guaranteeing reliability and efficiency from start to finish.

Oryx Additive scaWaterjet for support material removal (Photo Credit: Oryx Additive)

Optimizing Additive Manufacturing Post-Processing through Partnership and Automation

The newly forged partnership is specifically designed to integrate Oryx Additive’s cutting-edge solutions directly into the workflows of Arburg’s extensive customer base, ensuring a seamless transition from printing to a finished part. This collaboration focuses on addressing the critical need for automated and efficient post-processing, which is crucial for elevating additive manufacturing from a prototyping tool to a viable industrial production method. One prime example of this synergy is the Oryx Additive scaWaterjet machine. This innovative system has been meticulously engineered with a dual focus on maximizing user productivity and comfort, all while ensuring unparalleled precision in the cleaning and finishing of additive parts. It utilizes a controlled waterjet to gently yet effectively remove support structures and clean part surfaces. Whether dealing with delicate geometries that require careful handling or robust, rigid components needing thorough cleaning, the scaWaterjet excels, dramatically shortening the often laborious post-processing time from what could be hours of manual effort down to mere minutes. This significant reduction in cycle time is not just a convenience; it represents a profound leap forward in making additive manufacturing more competitive, scalable, and economically feasible for industrial production, directly impacting throughput and operational costs.

Keith Jeffcoat, Chief Executive Officer of Oryx Additive, articulated the company’s broader vision for this collaborative endeavor, highlighting the strategic importance of such alliances in the evolving AM landscape: “Our vision at Oryx is to achieve the full potential of additive manufacturing by building a trusting and collaborative partnership with end-use and OEM customers. We are thrilled to partner with one of the most highly acknowledged world leaders in the injection molding industry as they build and expand the Freeformer technology into the additive manufacturing space. With Freeformer, Arburg has forged a new path towards industrial 3D printing by enabling the accessibility and use of advanced materials which were not attainable in the past. The combined use of the Freeformer technology and the tried-and-true SCA product family allows for reliable printing and finishing expected of industrial end-use parts.” This statement underscores the strategic depth of the alliance, emphasizing how the combined strengths of Arburg’s material innovation and Oryx’s finishing expertise pave the way for true industrial-scale 3D printing. The ability to use previously inaccessible advanced materials, particularly industrial granulates, coupled with a reliable, consistent, and efficient post-processing solution, unlocks new applications and elevates the quality and consistency of additively manufactured components to meet the rigorous demands of various industrial sectors. This partnership ensures that the entire production chain, from material input to final part, is optimized for performance and efficiency.

Addressing the Critical Challenge of Support Material Removal for Industrial 3D Printing

Perhaps one of the most significant and transformative advancements brought about by this partnership is in the realm of support material removal. As any experienced additive manufacturing practitioner knows, support structures are absolutely integral for successfully printing complex geometries, especially those featuring significant overhangs, intricate internal channels, sharp angles, or delicate features that defy gravity during the material deposition process. While indispensable for print success, these supports, typically made from a distinct and often sacrificial material, can be notoriously tedious, time-consuming, and often frustrating to remove. Traditional manual removal processes are prone to inconsistencies, often lead to potential damage to the final part’s critical surface finish, or can even compromise the structural integrity of complex or fragile components. This pervasive challenge has long been a major bottleneck, significantly hindering the full industrial adoption of 3D printing for certain high-value or high-volume applications where part quality and consistency are paramount.

The integration of Oryx Additive’s specialized SCA finishing equipment directly addresses this critical bottleneck with precision and efficiency. These advanced systems are expertly engineered for the precise and efficient removal of solvent-based, water-soluble engineered support materials. This targeted capability is predicted to deliver immense value to Arburg’s customers, allowing them to produce intricate and complex parts with confidence, knowing that the post-processing will be fast, reliable, consistent, and will preserve the integrity of the final part. The ability to seamlessly integrate Oryx Additive’s state-of-the-art solutions with Arburg’s highly regarded Freeformer 3D printers marks a monumental stride forward in the industrialization of additive manufacturing. It represents a crucial step in effectively combining the established principles of reliability and efficiency characteristic of traditional manufacturing with the unparalleled design freedom, customization capabilities, and material versatility of additive manufacturing. By making the often-arduous and variable post-processing phase significantly more efficient and automated, this partnership not only enhances the overall productivity of the AM workflow but also substantially lowers the total cost of ownership for industrial users, making additive manufacturing a far more attractive and competitive option for an even wider range of demanding applications across various industries.

The Broader Impact: Accelerating Industrial Additive Manufacturing Adoption

This collaboration between Arburg Inc. and Oryx Additive extends far beyond just support removal; it signifies a broader, strategic commitment to fully industrializing additive manufacturing. By intensely focusing on streamlining one of the most labor-intensive, variable, and often bottlenecked steps in the entire AM workflow, the partnership directly contributes to achieving greater repeatability, superior part quality, and dramatically improved throughput—all absolutely essential characteristics for robust production environments. The ability to process 3D printed parts more quickly and reliably means businesses can scale their additive manufacturing operations more effectively than ever before, significantly reduce lead times for custom components, and ultimately bring innovative products to market faster and with higher confidence. This strategic alliance underscores the evolving landscape of 3D printing, where integrated solutions that comprehensively address the entire manufacturing workflow, from initial design and material selection through printing and final finished part, are becoming paramount. It’s not just about printing a part; it’s about producing a ready-to-use component with consistent, industrial-grade quality at a competitive cost and within predictable production schedules.

Furthermore, the emphasis on using proven end-use material granulates with the Arburg Freeformer, combined with Oryx’s precise and automated post-processing solutions, directly addresses the critical industry need for robust, functional parts that can withstand rigorous application environments. This powerful synergy fundamentally opens doors for additive manufacturing in sectors that demand stringent material properties, exceptional surface finishes, and unwavering reliability, such as automotive, aerospace, medical, and consumer goods. The partnership empowers users to leverage advanced engineering polymers with utmost confidence, knowing that the entire production chain meticulously supports the integrity, performance, and aesthetic quality of the final product. It represents a synergistic approach where ground-breaking innovation in printing technology is met with equally advanced, automated finishing solutions, thereby accelerating the widespread adoption of industrial 3D printing across diverse and demanding industries, moving it from a niche technology to a mainstream manufacturing powerhouse.

What are your thoughts on the groundbreaking Arburg Inc. & Oryx Additive post-processing partnership? How do you foresee this impacting the future of industrial additive manufacturing and the broader 3D printing ecosystem, particularly concerning efficiency and scalability? We invite you to share your valuable opinions and insights in the comments section below, or engage in a deeper discussion with the vibrant community members of the 3Dnatives forum. For more visual content and updates on additive manufacturing innovations, you can find all of our videos on our YouTube channel. Additionally, stay connected and follow us for the latest news on Facebook or Twitter! For further details on the Arburg Inc. & Oryx Additive deal, explore the official announcement HERE.

Cover Image Photo Credit: Oryx Additive