Solukon launches SPR-Pathfinder PRO software for complex LPBF depowdering

Solukon has released SPR-Pathfinder PRO, a major upgrade to its intelligent depowdering simulation software for laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) parts. The new version removes the previous 2.4 million voxel limit, now supporting unlimited voxels and up to 1,000,000 particles to simulate sub-millimeter channels and densely packed internal surfaces. Andreas Hartmann, CEO and CTO, said the release reflects years of market feedback and addresses components that had exceeded the ceiling of the standard SPR-Pathfinder version. The software also includes a Digital-Factory-Tool for recording all depowdering process data via OPC UA, and is compatible with Solukon's SFM-AT350 through SFM-AT1500-S depowdering systems. A lower-cost SPR-Pathfinder BASIC version was also introduced for parts with medium complexity needs.

This release directly addresses a critical bottleneck in the metal AM production chain. Post-processing, specifically powder removal, often dominates total part cost, especially as geometries push toward sub-millimeter internal channels and complex lattices driven by consumer electronics and aerospace applications. Solukon is positioning its software as a design-stage validation tool, shifting the industry conversation from 'design for additive manufacturing' to 'design for depowdering'. This reflects a broader industry recognition that qualification and repeatability in post-processing are now as strategically important as machine throughput. By removing simulation constraints that previously forced manual setup or trial-and-error depowdering for complex parts, Solukon is competing not just with other depowdering equipment makers, but with the production readiness expectations of aerospace and medical device customers who need deterministic, documented processes.

For users printing high-complexity LPBF parts—such as heat exchangers, hydraulic manifolds, or medical implants with internal lattices—this software upgrade directly changes the economic calculation of post-processing. The addition of accurate process-time prediction and digital-twin data integration means depowdering is no longer a black-box variable in production planning. Solukon must now execute on adoption: proving that the higher simulation resolution translates into measurable throughput gains in production environments, not just better demo results. Current machine owners can test the software via a 30-day free license, which lowers the barrier to evaluation but also puts the burden on Solukon to convert trials into paid upgrades.