SPR-Pathfinder PRO enables the creation of transparent cross-sections in all planes to identify powder bottlenecks (Courtesy of Solukon)
Solukon, based in Augsburg, Germany, has announced the launch of SPR-Pathfinder PRO, a new version of its intelligent depowdering software for Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB) parts. Developed in direct response to the growing complexity of industrial additive manufacturing components, SPR-Pathfinder PRO reportedly offers significantly higher simulation resolution, accurate process time prediction, and improved validation of depowdering at the design stage.
In addition to the new PRO version, SPR-Pathfinder will now also be available in a cheaper version for parts of medium complexity: SPR-Pathfinder BASIC.
As PBF-LB geometries become increasingly complex, depowderability is becoming a limiting factor for industrial adoption. Parts only add value when powder can be removed reliably and repeatably. SPR-Pathfinder PRO is designed to eliminate this barrier. In direct response to market demand, the Solukon team, led by Product Owner Hemank Raj, worked on the major software upgrade for the following reasons:
- Certain PBF-LB parts have exceeded the complexity limits of the standard SPR Pathfinder version
Geometries such as highly complex thermal management components and multi-channel aerospace structures require very high simulation resolution to ensure the accuracy of automated depowder removal. The previous limit of 2.4 million voxels used to simulate the ideal depowdering path has been removed. - The AM market shows the need for complete process transparency
In metal AM, the need for data transparency is particularly high because the parts are complex, the quality requirements are strict, and every build is a chain of interdependent steps. If you cannot clearly understand what happened and when (parameters, machine status, post-processing steps), it becomes difficult to explain deviations, demonstrate repeatability, or meet customer and certification expectations. Solukon’s Digital Factory tool captures relevant depowdering process data with the intention of enabling maximum transparency, with the ability to integrate this information into a higher-level digital dashboard via OPC UA. SPR-Pathfinder PRO is intended to further expand these capabilities. - One of Solukon’s main goals: enabling an improved “Design for Depowdering” process
Many manufacturers have recognized the value of Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM), which involves optimizing the geometry of a part so that it can actually be manufactured. Fewer have applied the same thinking to what happens after manufacturing. When designing for depowder removal, it is important to consider at the earliest design stage whether the powder can reliably escape from the part’s internal structures and adjust the geometry accordingly before building up a single layer. The benefit is practical: fewer iterations and post-manufacture surprises, more predictable lead times, and a clearer path to repeatable, documentable post-processing, especially for complicated internal channels where depowdering requirements increase with part complexity. According to Solukon, Design for Additive Manufacturing ensures that a part can be manufactured, while Design for Depowdering ensures that the part can be industrialized.
By making depowderability a predictable technical parameter, Solukon enables manufacturers to validate complex designs before production begins. Andreas Hartmann, CEO and CTO, explained: “At Solukon, we have always believed that reliable and intelligent automated depowdering can be achieved when machine, process and software are aligned. The parts our customers print today are more complex than ever and we have grown with this goal in mind. SPR-Pathfinder PRO reflects years of market observation and the evolution of our software in line with the most demanding AM applications: parts with sub-millimeter channels, densely packed ones Interior surfaces and previously inaccessible geometries.”
The PRO version introduces three features that go beyond the existing software:
- Higher simulation resolution: SPR-Pathfinder PRO supports up to 1,000,000 particles, a 20x increase over the standard version, combined with an unlimited number of voxels. This enables accurate calculation of even the most complicated internal structures, including submillimeter channels and densely packed internal surfaces, which were previously inaccessible to simulations. In the simulation by SPR-Pathfinder PRO, the part moves in the same way as it would later during the corresponding cleaning step in the Solukon machine. This provides a clearer understanding of the process.
- Cross-sectional testing at all levels: The software now allows cross-sectional views of the part in all planes (X, Y and Z), giving operators a full view of the interior of the part at any point and from any direction. The transparency of the part can also be adjusted, providing a high level of control. This makes it easy to identify powder traps and bottlenecks before building a single layer.
- Accurate process time prediction: For many industrial operators, depowdering remains an unknown variable in production planning. With SPR-Pathfinder PRO, users can now specify exactly how long the calculation and depowdering process will take in their Solukon system and determine how this time fits into their production schedule. Solukon says this will eliminate a bottleneck that becomes increasingly costly as production volumes increase.
Hemank Raj, product owner of SPR-Pathfinder, commented: “SPR-Pathfinder PRO is the result of close collaboration with operators who push LPBF to its limits every day. The standard version already takes the guesswork out of creating depowder programs. With PRO we take it a step further: users can now look into the most complex geometries, reliably predict process time and validate depowderability before the first layer is printed. This changes the way Engineers think about post-processing from the start.” Project.”
With the introduction of SPR-Pathfinder PRO, Solukon now offers the software in two versions, each designed for specific applications and production requirements. In general, the SPR Pathfinder software calculates the ideal movement sequence based on the CAD file of the entire construction job in order to remove powder from complex internal structures as quickly as possible. The calculations are based on the digital twin of the part.
SPR-Pathfinder BASIC helps calculate cleaning programs for medium-complex components. It offers core automation that eliminates the need for manual programming. SPR-Pathfinder BASIC is aimed at users whose parts do not require advanced simulation and who want entry-level, cost-effective depowdering software.
SPR-Pathfinder PRO is designed for highly complex components and for companies where process transparency and precision of production planning are non-negotiable. It offers full simulation depth, cross-sectional testing capability and accurate process time prediction.
SPR-Pathfinder PRO extends the digital twin throughout the entire post-processing workflow, from design validation to production planning, delivering the process visibility that industrial AM operations increasingly require to scale confidently.
www.solukon.de
https://www.metal-am.com/solukon-launches-spr-pathfinder-pro-depowdering-software/
