Phillips Federal has been associated with the United States Department of Defense (DoD) for over five decades offering its products and expertise in traditional and additive manufacturing technology. Its services include contracting & procurement, life-cycle solutions, project management, training and consulting, service and tech support, CNC manufacturing, and additive manufacturing, among many others.
In the additive manufacturing segment, the DoD has been facing some challenges in adopting this fast-changing, new-age technology including adequate training for its engineers and capital investments in additive manufacturing equipment.
Philips has been offering customizable training courses to DoD engineers, consulting services for improving processes, and unique funding options for different types of facilities.
Phillips and Bel Air Finishing
Phillips Federal has added the post-processing technologies of Bel Air Finishing to its manufacturing programs at the Rock Island Arsenal. The partnership will install a completely operational cell to post-process all types of components manufactured using additive manufacturing. This will be used as a training facility for the US Army and private DoD contractors managing 3D printing anywhere in the world. This cell will include cleaning, polishing, surface grinding, automated build removal, and its own closed-loop water feed system.
Phillips Federal has partnered with Bel Air Finishing to offer mass finishing process technology to the US Defense Services. Bel Air Finishing offers expertise in three essential post-production processes:
- Tumbling;
- Deburring; and
- Polishing
Additionally, the company also offers end-to-end solutions including the cleaning and drying of parts and wastewater treatment.
By joining hands with Bel Air Finishing, Phillips Global has added the Bel Air Mass Finishing Technology to its basket of services offered to the DoD. Via the partnership, Phillips offers Bel Air supplies to boost the post-production process.
About Bel Air Finishing – 3D post-processing
Bel Air offers a range of equipment and supplies to meet specific finishing and post-processing needs.
Equipment
The list of equipment includes:
- For build/support removal:
- Water blasters
- Washers/Dunkers
- Chemical Tank
- For surface improvement of metal and plastic parts:
- High-energy centrifugal finisher
- Low-energy vibratory finisher
- Dry electro-polish DLyte
- For cleaning, dyeing, and coating:
- All-in-one cleaning and dyeing system
- Spin coater
- Ultrasonic cleaning, rinsing, and drying console
- Ball burnishers
- Centrifugal Barrel Finishers
- Centrifugal Disc Finishers
- Drag Finishers
- Electropolishers
- Magnetic Pin Finishers
- Tumblers
- Vibratory Bowls and Tubs
- Wastewater treatment systems
Supplies
The list of Bel Air Finishing Supply includes:
- Cleaning and Dye:
- 3D extreme dyeing agent
- Rapid resin cleanser
- 3D support cleaner and eco-reclaim agent
- Surface finishing:
- Tumbling media
- Water Jet slurry media
Bel Air manufactures its own mass finishing equipment and also sources equipment from manufacturers around the globe to offer the best mass finishing product line to its customers. It prides on customizing the finishing process as per the unique needs of the customer and creating an integrated turnkey system.
Summing Up
While DoD is exploring the benefits of additive manufacturing, the inclusion of Bel Air Finishing will add the much-needed and oft-ignored element of post-processing to the additive manufacturing process.