Key figures
-94 %
Part weight
50 000€
logistics savings / year
3 weeks
start to finish
Problem
The hydraulic block had 33 components, complex assembly, and a design built around the limits of traditional manufacturing. Avant Tecno needed to know what additive manufacturing could do instead.
Solution
3DStep and Enmac redesigned the block as a single AlSi10Mg aluminium part with an integrated filter and optimised hose outlets. Weight dropped from 2,910g to 175g. A working prototype was ready three weeks after the first meeting.
Results
Part count fell from 33 to 1. Assembly time and logistics costs dropped with it. The project also changed how Avant Tecno’s designers approach component geometry going forward.
Dekati is a world leader in small particle measurement solutions, supplying instruments and sensors for demanding environments across industries. When the company set out to redesign its eDiluter product line, it needed a manufacturing partner who could do more than print parts. The challenge was to rethink the entire product around additive manufacturing.
The previous generation, the Dekati FPS, was a product shaped by the limits of conventional manufacturing. Complex internal piping required time-consuming assembly. Welded and machined structures added weight and size. The finished device weighed 30 kg with dimensions of 560 x 410 x 310 mm, and a separate diluter unit came alongside it. For a field instrument used in particle measurement, that bulk came at a cost.
From prototype partner to contract manufacturer
3DStep and Dekati started working together in 2016, making Dekati one of 3DStep’s earliest long-term partners. The collaboration began with product development prototypes and a shared process of learning what 3D printing could realistically deliver. Over time, that relationship deepened into something more permanent.
“Collaboration with 3DStep has been straightforward. The dialogue in both directions has gone well.”
Leo Holma
Dekati Oy
3DStep became Dekati’s contract manufacturer for the eDiluter program, supplying metal and polymer printed components directly to the assembly line for installation in finished products. The shift from occasional prototype supplier to embedded manufacturing partner reflected how closely the two companies had aligned on both design intent and production requirements.
A product rebuilt around what additive manufacturing makes possible
The polymer mechanics of the eDiluter are produced using MJF technology in PA12 material, dyed black and finished with a micro-coating that protects against moisture and dirt and makes surfaces easier to clean. Metal 3D printing handles the complex tube and flow components, printed in 316L stainless steel and AlSi10Mg aluminium alloy.
Hybrid manufacturing plays a role in the metal parts. Printed metal components remain attached to the machining platform in their substrate until wire sawing releases the finished parts. This approach keeps tolerances tight and reduces post-processing steps.
“Dekati’s story demonstrates that design and product development are the keys to making the most of 3D printing. Customer product development needs to be supported by a 3D printing professional who can guide designs toward better outcomes by making process and material knowledge available.”
The numbers tell the story plainly. The eDiluter weighs 7,3 kg and fits within a 205 x 168 x 520 mm envelope, with the diluter integrated. That is a 75% reduction in weight compared to its predecessor, achieved while improving performance and usability. Complex assembly work was minimised, not because corners were cut, but because the design no longer required it.
Dekati Ltd. is a world leader in the design and manufacture of innovative small particle measurement solutions, with almost 30 years of experience in supplying measuring devices, sensors and complete measurement systems. Learn more at www.dekati.com.
