FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Vapormatt introduces lift in, lift out barrel technology to its Puma wet blasting range for additive manufacturing post-processing
We aren’t just the world’s leading wet blasting company. We brought wet blasting to the world.
Hall 6, Stand 313, NEC Birmingham, 20 to 24 April 2026
Vapormatt will exhibit at MACH 2026 at the NEC Birmingham from 20 to 24 April, showcasing a new wet blasting configuration developed specifically for additive manufacturing post-processing. The new Puma variant features a lift in, lift out barrel that allows small components to be processed automatically whilst maintaining the full adaptability of a manual workstation.
The lift in, lift out barrel is unique to Vapormatt. Unlike fixed barrel systems, it allows users to operate multiple interchangeable barrels, which can be used not only for processing but also for work in progress storage and for transporting components between processes. The result is a single machine that bridges automatic batch processing and flexible manual operation, making it particularly well suited to the varied and fast-moving demands of additive manufacturing production environments.
Wet blasting combines abrasive, water, compressed air and detergent into a high-velocity jet, degreasing, cleaning and finishing in a single operation and delivering the finest satin finish or the roughest surface preparation depending on the application. The process cleans by flow, not impact, reaching internal chambers, channels and complex geometries that dry blasting cannot access, flushing out residual powder from SLS parts, and removing uncured resin residue from SLA and DLP parts, where partially polymerised surface layers require gentle but effective cleaning that dry blasting cannot reliably achieve. Heat, static, sparking and media embedment are eliminated as concerns for both metal and polymer components alike.
For higher volume AM production, particularly in aerospace and medical, the Puma+ automatic range offers an alternative approach. Delicate components that could be damaged in a barrel can be processed individually or in batches on the Puma+, which operates as a dedicated automatic machine with no manual workstation, delivering a higher return on investment because no operator is required.
Ryan Ashworth, Head of Sales and Marketing at Vapormatt, commented: “The Puma with lift in, lift out barrel is a genuinely new approach to wet blasting for additive manufacturing. It gives users the efficiency of automatic batch processing and the flexibility of a manual workstation in a single machine, with interchangeable barrels that add a logistics benefit well beyond the blast process itself. Vapormatt has been refining the wet blasting process for decades and that depth of knowledge is what makes the difference when it comes to AM post-processing. We understand the material, the geometry and the finish requirement and we build machines that reflect that.”
A full Vapormatt team will be at Hall 6, stand 313, to discuss your surface finishing challenges. Come and talk to us. There is always more to wet blasting than people expect.
For further information visit vapormatt.com or contact Miles Pluckwell at [email protected].
High resolution images are available on request.
Ends
Notes to editors: Vapormatt Ltd is headquartered at the Vapormatt Innovation Centre, Bridgwater, Somerset. The company has been at the forefront of wet blasting technology since the process was first developed and has been operating in its present form since 1978. Vapormatt holds a number of patents covering wet blasting technology including blast gun design and elutriation systems. Vapormatt machines are used by leading manufacturers across aerospace, defence, medical technology, automotive, cutting tools and additive manufacturing worldwide.
