A single broken plastic clip can take a machine out of service, and the frustrating part is how often the fix is held up by the part itself. The manufacturer has discontinued it, the lead time runs to weeks, or the price for a scrap of moulded plastic is out
Repair vs replace: when it’s worth 3D printing spare parts for ageing equipment Read More »
For low volumes and complex geometry, yes, 3D printing is usually the more sustainable choice. For high-volume production of simple parts, traditional manufacturing often wins on efficiency once tooling costs are spread across thousands of units. The honest answer depends on what you are making, how many you need and
Is 3D Printing More Sustainable Than Traditional Manufacturing? Read More »
Markforged’s Continuous Fibre Reinforcement is a revolution for FFF manufacturing, allowing long-strand composite fibres to be embedded along the load paths for maximum strength approaching metal levels of performance. How close does it get? Markforged CFR with carbon fibre produces components boasting a strength-to-weight ratio 50% better than 6061 aluminium. Printing advanced composites
Transforming the Factory Floor with Markforged Composite 3D Printing Read More »
For over 50 years, CNC machining has dominated high-precision manufacturing with its lightning-fast metal cutting and microscopic accuracy. It’s been the undisputed champ for industries like aerospace that demand the utmost quality. But in the last few decades, 3D printing has stepped up. At first, 3D printers struggled to match
CNC Precision Engineering: How 3D Printing Moved Into the Industry Read More »
Revolutionising Production Lines The transition of 3D printing from rapid prototyping to a practical production tool has the potential to revolutionise the manufacturing sector. This technology, once limited to the role of rapid prototype design, has permeated the broader production process to deliver a range of efficiency and efficacy benefits
How to Improve Production Line Efficiency with 3D Printing Read More »
3D printing and CNC machining are often pitched against each other but are complementary tools suited to different applications. We are often asked whether 3D printing will replace CNC machining. Our answer is always the same – “no” in general, but “yes” in applications where machining is expensive, time-consuming,
3D Printing vs CNC Machining Read More »
Train maintenance problems are becoming commonplace due to parts shortages and manufacturing constraints. Grounding a train is the last resort, but operators are faced with no alternative if serviceable parts are unavailable. A railway sector company recently faced this problem when the silicone boot seal for a train braking system
Keeping Trains Moving With Silicone 3D-Printed Parts Read More »
Formlabs has today announced 3 new resins for the Form 3 3D printer line-up. The resins – Rigid 10K, Rigid 4000, Draft Resin (updated formula) – offer outstanding performance and cover a wide range of potential applications. Here’s what you need to know: Rigid 10K – Ideal for short
Formlabs Announces Exciting New Engineering Materials Read More »
Identifying opportunities for improvement on the production line is never a one-off exercise. As manufacturers increase their output, they are forced into a continuous cycle of improvement to keep quality high. One of the bottlenecks manufacturers face is the equipment they use itself. Whether we’re talking about milling machines, lathes,
How One 3D Printed Part Saved a Tool Manufacturer £26,000 Per Year Read More »
We recently helped a pet food manufacturer modernise their manufacturing facility by introducing additive manufactured parts to their production line. Our customer, a European pet food manufacturer, was interested in 3D printing as a way to manufacture parts for their machines in-house. Their equipment was fitted with legacy parts that
3D Printing Replacement Legacy Parts That Can No Longer Be Sourced Read More »
