At Prototype Projects we have been using a number of industrial grade 3D printing technologies for some years now. So here, in a series of posts over the coming weeks, we plan to lay bare the origins of 3D printing, discuss where we are now, and to take a realistic look at what can be expected in the coming years.

In the first of this series we go back to look at the developments of 3D printing technology over the last three decades, since it first emerged in the late 1980’s.

Part 1: Where did 3D Printing Come From?

‘3D printing’ is relatively new terminology that is now universally applied to additive manufacturing technology — a group of different processes that have the common capability of building up parts and products one layer at a time directly from 3D digital data.

Throughout the 80’s and 90’s the technology was commonly called Rapid Prototyping (RP) because the processes were originally conceived as a faster and more cost-effective method of creating prototypes for product development within industry.

The first commercial RP system was the Stereolithography (SLA) process introduced by 3D Systems, who still hold and register many patents in this area today. Within a couple of years of SLA, the Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) RP process was introduced by Stratasys, and EOS GmbH in Germany offered RP systems based on the laser sintering process, both of which have continued to go from strength to strength.

During these early days, excitement about the processes themselves was widespread as new ways of working and developing new products were explored. At the time, the systems were expensive, the materials limited (plastic only), quality was poor and models were brittle.

Yet cash-rich industry sectors such as aerospace, automotive and medical all saw the long-term potential benefits that the technology offered and bought into it.

The early adopters are reaping the rewards today.

Apart from the manufacturing, engineering and technology companies themselves, another type of business emerged and quickly flourished.

The early specialist prototyping service bureaus like Prototype Projects were entrepreneurial companies that quickly saw the opportunities offered by rapid prototyping. So they invested in the skills and technology they needed and became proficient at maximizing the potential of RP machines and materials.

These service bureaus provided RP services to companies that were unable to – or chose not to – invest their own capital in in-house RP machines.

Throughout the 1990’s and early 2000’s many new RP processes were introduced, all focused wholly on industrial applications. Simultaneously, collaborative R&D between academia and industry focused on developing applications and strengthening the capabilities and output from the machines.

Prototyping applications were still the dominant application area but R&D was also being conducted into specific tooling, casting and direct manufacturing applications. Plastic materials were improved and research also brought forth RP machines that could process nylon and powdered metals, including aluminium, titanium and inconel.

After 2000, as 3D printing gained momentum as universal terminology, the RP sector started to show signs of distinct diversification into two specific areas.

The first area was high end 3D printing on very expensive systems, used by industrial manufacturers and geared towards production of high value, highly engineered parts. This is still ongoing and gaining visibility.

The second area was greatly improved ‘concept modeller’ 3D printers for the improvement of concept development and functional prototyping capabilities.

3D printing itself has hit the headlines this decade as less expensive systems have emerged. As a result 3D printing has become more accessible.

But the low cost machines currently only offer plastic materials and are limited in capability. While they are gaining traction, they are not yet plug-&-play which means that for most SME’s looking for quality concept models, the specialist prototyping bureau still offers the best ROI.

Next time… 3D Printing | where are we now?

Need advice on 3D Printing?

Contact us on 01763 249760

It’s tempting to feel you need to know about every single prototyping material to use in every prototyping process.

With an infinite range of requirements for part characteristics, accuracy, thermo mechanical properties and finish, how can Design Engineers be expected to keep up with all the processes and materials that are available?

As a Designer you just want to specify the properties and characteristics you need from your prototype part. That way you can move your design forward towards production as quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively as possible.

The good news is that with a highly experienced prototyping partner like Prototype Projects, you’ve got all the technical expertise and advice you need.

Just tell us about properties and part you need, and we’ll advise on the most appropriate combination of prototyping process, material and technique to achieve it.

Accura Materials

Accura materials are formulated for use on 3D Systems SLA machines. We run a wide range of materials on our three high quality Viper SLA machines, but here are just two that can be used to produce parts with very specific and different properties: Accura Xtreme and Accura Peak.

Accura Xtreme: tough, durable, impact resistant

Accura Xtreme can deliver the properties and look of moulded ABS. It’s ideal for producing tough, durable and impact resistant parts that mist mimic an end product that will be used in a rugged environment. It can also be used in functional models where durability is important, such as snap fit assemblies.

Get the Accura Xtreme datasheet>>

Material Summary

Properties

• Look and feel of a rugged moulded plastic
• Outstanding durability and impact resistance
• Thermal resistance over 60°C

Applications

• Snap fit assemblies
• Tough, rugged parts, components and products
• Master patterns for RTV/silicone moulding

Accura Peak: rigid, stable, heat & moisture resistant

Accura Peak is an SLA material for prototype parts requiring rigidity, long term dimensional stability and high temperature and moisture resistance properties. It was originally engineered by 3D Systems for designers and manufacturers and is ideal in the automotive and aerospace industries for prototyping components used in high speed airflow, high temperature and high moisture conditions.
 
Get the Accura Peak datasheet>>

Material Summary

Properties

• High precision, high accuracy parts
• Long term dimensional stability
• High levels of thermal and moisture resistance

Applications

• Fixtures and jig assemblies
• Master patterns for silicone moulding
• Wind tunnel models

Need advice on quality parts, processes or materials?

Contact us on 01763 249760

Whatever your definition, the people at Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance (LRQA) are qualified to answer. They’re one of the UK’s leading certification bodies, with a reputation for independence and impartiality. Prototype Projects is ISO-9001 accredited alongside ARM, Anglian Water, BT and lots of other quality-conscious organisations.

ISO 9001 is a quality management system (QMS) for organisations that want to prove they have the ability to provide products and services of consistent quality that meets the needs of their customers and partners. An ISO 9001 certification shows that specific management systems are in place and robust.

By going through the IS0 9001 accreditation process, Prototype Projects has made a commitment to placing quality at the heart of all our management systems.

More importantly, we want to send a clear message to our clients that they can buy their prototype parts and components from Prototype Projects with confidence that we take quality very seriously indeed.

Need advice on quality parts, processes or materials?

Contact us on 01763 249760

Martin Lansbury, Production Team Leader

Martin’s challenge is to understand the needs of our customers’ prototyping projects and translate that to our team of prototyping experts so they can accurately interpret the build requirements. He will be there to answer questions from both our customers and our team.

Want to say hello to Martin? He can be contacted on 01763 249760.

We are delighted to share our fresh new corporate look with you which includes a new logo, refreshed website and corporate identity.

The new look is part of a wider investment in new technology, marketing and skills following a year of solid growth in both UK and European sales.

Bucking the trend of manufacturing gloom in many parts of the UK, Prototype Projects is also announcing plans to invest over £190,000 in new CNC machining centres and new 3D printing systems to manufacture prototype parts in a range of metallic and plastic materials.

Justin Pringle, managing director at Prototype Projects, said “We see investing in our working capital, training, skills and marketing as absolutely vital to our continued success in the UK and Europe.”

To find out more about the new services Prototype Projects will be offering during 2013, please contact Justin Pringle on 01763 249760.

Justin Pringle, Managing Director

What does that mean in practical terms? Instead of involving us only when you are ready to go to prototyping stage, we can provide support and technical prototyping expertise throughout the design and build of your project. This will reduce risks to your project at the crucial stage, allow research into new concepts to help shape and develop the idea as well as potentially reduce the prototyping production time.

Justin Pringle, managing director at Prototype Projects, said “I am looking forward to being more hands-on with our customers this year. If they wish to use our prototyping expertise earlier in the design process and into the build stage of their projects we have the experience and skills to provide advice and support at every step of the way.”

To find out more about our integrated prototyping service, please contact Justin Pringle on 01763 249760.

As part of this trend, companies in Cambridge and surrounding areas are playing a key role. When Product Design Consultancy eg technology needed a rapid prototyping partner for its contract with AlertMe, it turned to Prototype Projects.

Background

When Product Design Consultancy eg technology needed a Rapid Prototyping Bureau to provide them with prototype models for their client AlertMe, they chose Prototype Projects.

AlertMe is a global smart energy innovator and a leader in the market for smart energy solutions.

eg technology was involved in the design of AlertMe products as early as 2007, and at that time used Prototype Projects to produce some of the first prototype models of the company’s “SmartPlug” range.

Early successes with these products have led to other AlertMe prototyping requirements including SmartPlugs for the European and US markets, lamps, sensors, keyfobs and hubs.

The Requirement

Due to the fast-paced nature of the Smart Energy industry, eg technology had exacting requirements for its prototyping partner.

The models required were for early concept presentation and marketing but there was also a need for some functional Prototypes. These were occasionally SLS but more often were SLAs using painted XtremeResin materials.

As a result, the need was for all prototype models to be finished to a consistently high standard each time. The emphasis was strongly on accuracy and quality, and eg technology needed to be able to rely on a consistent finish each time.

Timing was always key. It was not unknown for a high level AlertMe business executive to need to fly to the USA or Europe at short notice to present or demonstrate a product model at a sales meeting– and in these cases both fast turnaround and high quality finish were paramount requirements in equal measure.

De-risking the Prototyping Process

Because of Prototype Projects’ ability to deliver consistently quickly and to high quality, eg technology have seen no need to turn to an alternative provider.

In fact, as Russ Farn, Design Engineer at eg technology says, Prototype Projects provides eg with a ‘seamless’ solution that ‘de-risks’ the prototyping process. As a result, Product Designers have confidence in helping their clients because they know their prototype model making processes are reliability consistent in quality and approach.

By contrast, some prototype suppliers have been known to send product in up to two weeks late.

Citing how Prototype Projects are always keen to go the extra step, Russ recalls an occasion when they rose to a particularly stretching challenge:

“We were working to a very tight deadline that was made more challenging by the fact that it was Christmas week. We needed five prototype product models built, finished and painted fast– and while Prototype Projects stressed that it may not be possible to do the job in the timescale we gave them, they pulled out all the stops and delivered the day before the deadline.”

Russ Farn continues: “The speed of response and turnaround, both on quotes and delivery gives Prototype Projects a massive edge over competitors. Their genuinely positive attitude and willingness to help is extremely valuable to us.”

At our bureau in Royston we have three Viper SLA rapid prototyping machines.

That means over 20,000 hours of high quality SLA capacity per year.

Why does this matter for you?

While we’ve got the capability and the capacity to cater for most SLA requirements, it’s not just about capacity and size.

Our Rapid Prototyping services offer you:

• Fast turnaround – including next day (depending on your requirement)
• Standard Resolution or High Resolution parts
  • Standard Resolution: best balance of build speed and part resolution
  • High Resolution: ultra-detailed small parts and features
• Small to medium size concept and presentation models
• Very broad range of solid imaging applications:
  • Rapid modelling
  • Rapid prototyping
  • Investment casting patterns
• Superior quality parts for every application:
  • Smooth surface finish
  • High accuracy
  • Excellent fine feature detail
  • Minimal finishing required
• Huge range of materials including Accura ® PEAK™ resin

For a quote on your rapid prototyping requirement call us on 01763 249760 or email us

RP Process Information PDF

RP Process Information – Finishing Level PDF

The winner of the voucher is Tom Roberts of Cummings Turbo Technologies – thanks very much to Tom for visiting us on our stand!

Our verdict on the EDS 2012:

Promotion: Very good – lots of plugging by the folks at Findlay Media in the weeks up to the event in Eureka Magazine and elsewhere

Location: Coventry’s Ricoh Arena is easily accessible from the M6 and conveniently located for the Midlands industrial and engineering areas

Venue quality: The onsite facilities are a bit limited, but there are shops are a short drive away

Visitors: Both days were well attended with day 1 slightly busier. There was a good buzz in the exhibit hall. The seminar & keynote speakers went down well

Worth attending next year? We’ve booked our stand! The 2013 event promises to be bigger than 2012.

Simon Brooks | Contacts4Business | T: 01223 750236 | E: simon@contacts4business.com
Prototype Projects Wins Wearable Technology Project With Personal Alarm Provider buddi
Stylish buddiband prototype readied in under a week for launch event & TV showcase

Royston, Hertfordshire, UK

May 29^th 2012

— Prototype Projects has announced that it is helping wearable technology provider buddi in its goal to give greater independence to active elderly people and Alzheimer’s sufferers.

The Royston-based rapid prototyping bureau was recently appointed by product designers at buddi to manufacture a set of award winning prototype wrist bands that enhance the existing buddi personal alarm system.

The products are designed to give reassurance and improve confidence. Buddi’s personal emergency response systems all utilise mobile phone networks, allowing users to benefit from greater freedom without compromising reassurance. By using the buddiband, they and their carers can have confidence that help is at hand from a 24/7 Monitoring Centre whenever and wherever they need to alert attention.

Prototype Projects was initially asked to manufacture a set of stylish buddiband products to be shown off at a Design Council launch event and – on the same day – on the BBC Breakfast TV programme.

There was just one catch. Having been let down by another supplier, buddi’s designers needed the finished vacuum cast products in less than a week.

Speaking of how his company rose to the challenge, Prototype Projects Managing Director Justin Pringle said: “The buddiband is designed to look attractive and fashionable for people of all ages, and is outwardly similar to a charity wristband. We were asked to produce a set of high quality prototype buddibands that would show off well at a live event and for a TV audience. It was a tough ask for Prototype Projects to turn them around in a week but we took the job on – and delivered.”

Chris Starey, Product Design Engineer at buddi added that he and his colleagues at the company, which was founded by confused.com founder Sara Murray, have stringent requirements for the product’s appearance and overall wearability.

“The look and feel of the buddiband is of critical importance to our users. At buddi we have tried hard to create a quality, comfortable, and wearable device, so it was vital that the prototypes reflected this effort.” he added. “When we chose Prototype Projects we knew they would have to pull out all the stops to get the quality right in a very short space of time. I’m pleased to say that the products they delivered went down a treat”.

Justin Pringle added: “We are delighted to have been able to help out buddi when they needed it most. The buddiband is a fantastic product that promises a better quality of life for many people”.

Prototype Projects is now working on further products for buddi which use similar GPS technology.

About Prototype Projects

Prototype Projects is an expert prototyping bureau providing rapid prototyping, 3D Printing and prototype part manufacturing and finishing services for clients across the automotive, aerospace, pharmaceutical and medical sectors.

The company’s wide range of prototyping services processes are used by specialist design agencies and consultancies as well as product designers and engineers in the design teams of manufacturers throughout the UK and Europe.

With over 30 years of experience built on a reputation for service excellence, Prototype Projects aims to help its clients build and maintain a strong competitive edge in product and engineering design.

Underpinning its commitment to excellence and service quality is an ongoing process of investment in prototyping systems, expertise and technologies.

Contacts

Prototype Projects:
Justin Pringle
justin@prototypeprojects.com
Tel: 01763 249760
www.prototypeprojects.com

Contacts4Business:
Simon Brooks
simon@contacts4business.com
Tel: 01223 750236