Russell Finex SHAPA Innovation Award Winners

The SHAPA Awards 2017 returned to the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry 25th April to showcase the achievements of companies and individuals in the solids handling and processing industry. Russell Finex was shortlisted in three of the awards categories, highlighting another successful year for the industrial sieving specialists.

Having taken home the Exporter of the Year award in 2015, Russell Finex again hoped for success in this category. The company was also in the running for the Innovation Award, having previously won the award in 2016 for the Russell Screen Changer™. Finally, Russell Finex was shortlisted in the SHAPA Company of the Year category.

After much anticipation, Russell Finex was awarded the SHAPA Innovation Award for 2017 for the new Russell AMPro Sieve Station™, an AM powder handling system specifically designed to enhance the 3D printing industry.

With innovation at the core of the company, Russell Finex invests in extensive research, to continually meet the needs of customers, as well as quickly adapt its business strategies when new markets or technologies emerge. The AM (additive manufacturing) industry has become a key market for Russell Finex, and a new powder handling system was developed to support the industry’s growth.

As additive manufacturing has continued to evolve, the industry is continually experiencing change, with technologies evolving and possibilities expanding. As a result, Russell Finex has continued to adapt its technology, leading to the development of the state-of-the-art Russell AMPro Sieve Station™. As this machine has evolved with the industry, objective has remained the same, ensuring a key industry need is met: namely guaranteeing the powder handling process is fully controllable and repeatable with minimal operator involvement.

The Russell AMPro Sieve Station™ was introduced into the marketplace at the Formnext trade show in Frankfurt, Germany in November 2016.

This metal AM powder handling system has been specifically designed to overcome the challenges associated with the recovery and requalification of AM powder before and after the build process within DMLS, LMD, SLM, SLS and EBM systems. This is the most advanced AM powder handling system on the market, with many unique features that have been designed to support the entire additive industry whether at start up, prototyping stage, or a full-scale AM mass production facility. As the system is modular, users can adapt the unit as their business upscales or changes technologies.

The Russell AMPro Sieve Station™ can be used for a variety of applications. One is through guaranteeing the quality of virgin powders before it enters the production process. The unit has also been designed to evacuate and recondition powders from the build chamber or connect directly to 3D printing technology to allow a fully-automated closed-loop powder recovery process.

Since its establishment in 1934, Russell Finex has enjoyed steady, strategic growth ensuring the reputation of a global leader in the design and manufacture of separation technology. Russell Finex is honoured to have been rewarded by SHAPA once again for achievement in the industry and would like to congratulate all other SHAPA winners and shortlisted companies.

Links:
SHAPA Innovation Award 2017: http://www.russellfinex.com/en/news-and-events/shapa-innovation-award-winners-additive-powder-handling/
AM powder handling solution: http://www.russellfinex.com/en/separation-equipment/ampro/