Shot cascading apparatus for cleaning 3D printed components

An apparatus for cleaning a product, the apparatus comprising:

• a hopper, the hopper having an interior volume that is configured for storing a supply of shot;
• a gate mechanism in operative communication with the supply of shot stored by the hopper, the gate mechanism being configured for dispensing shot in a stream from the hopper;
• a funnel positioned beneath the gate mechanism;
• an open space adjacent the gate mechanism between a bottom of the hopper and an upper edge of the funnel, the open space being positioned relative to the gate mechanism and being configured for positioning a component to be cleaned by falling shot into the open space and for holding the component to be cleaned in the open space in the stream of falling shot to surface clean the component by the falling shot impacting upon the component in the open space, the open space also being configured to observe the component held in the open space from an exterior of the apparatus during cleaning of the component by the falling shot;
• and
• a separator nozzle positioned beneath the open space, the separator nozzle being operable to separate shot passed over the product from material removed from the product.

An apparatus for cleaning sand from a surface of a product formed by 3D sand and binder printing, the apparatus comprising:

• a hopper, the hopper having an interior volume that is configured for storing a supply of shot;
• a gate mechanism located beneath the hopper, the gate mechanism operatively communicating with the supply of shot stored in the hopper, the gate mechanism being configured to control a stream of the shot stored in the hopper to discharge from the hopper and from the gate mechanism;
• an open space beneath the gate mechanism and beneath the hopper, the open space being configured for positioning a product to be cleaned by falling shot into the open space and beneath the stream of shot discharged from the hopper and from the gate mechanism and for holding the product to be cleaned in the open space in the stream of shot to surface clean the product by falling shot impacts with a surface of the product in the open space and thereby cleans sand from the surface of the product, the open space also being configured to observe the product held in the open space during cleaning of the product by the stream of shot;
• and
• a separator nozzle positioned beneath the open space, the separator nozzle being operable to separate shot passed over the product from sand removed from the product.