There are three ‘unload / complete print job’ processes that can be undertaken when removing material from a print machine within Flows:

• Unload Unused Material 

• Complete Print Job: Unload Reclaimed Powder

• Complete Print Job: Record Build Weight

This quick guide will take you through the differences between each process. 

Unload Unused Material

If you are re-containerising any material that has been loaded into a machine (commonly a removable hopper) which has not been used by the machine as part of the build process, you would use the Unload Unused Material command. As the material has not be used in the production process, or exposed to the build chamber environmental conditions, we will not increase the Usage Cycles for material removed in this way. 

An example when you would use Unload Unused Material is:

1. You have loaded material into a machine for a specific build

2. The decision is taken that this production run will not go ahead

3. You remove the material from the machine to enable you to load a separate material for the next production run

4. You would use Unload Unused Material to capture the amount of material that is re-containerised. It will not have an increment added to the Usage Cycles for the material batch. 

Within Flows, the following steps are undertaken:  

• Material can be loaded into a permanent or non-permanent container as appropriate

• Specify the quantity of material being removed

• A new batch of material is created with this amount

Complete Print Job: Unload Reclaimed Powder

Unload Reclaimed Powder is used after the print run has been completed. This identifies the amount of material which entered the build chamber, but was not consumed by the print - it is the material commonly reclaimed via Powder Removal post-processing. You have the ability to load this material into a new permanent or non-permanent container. Additionally, as it has been used within production, the Usage Cycle of this new batch will increase by 1. 

Within Flows, the following steps are taken:

• Material can be loaded into a permanent or non-permanent container as appropriate

• Specify the quantity of material that was reclaimed from the build chamber

• A new batch of material is created with this amount

Complete Print Job: Record Build Weight

Finally, Record Build Weight is used to record the amount of powder that has been consumed to create the final manufactured part(s). 

Within Flows, the following steps are taken:

• Specify the weight of the build as extracted (which may include trapped powder)

• A new batch of material is created, but is marked as “Done” as it cannot be reused

Process Order

Using these two pieces of information - amount of powder reclaimed and the build weight - Flows is able to determine how much material remains within the Machine, ready for future use. 

The order in which the “Complete Print Job” processes are undertaken is negligible and will be decided upon based on your own internal protocols.

For more information regarding our Material Management module, have a look at our Step-by-Step User Guide for the module.