Constantly evolving to offer the latest technologies

Reproduced courtesy of New Design Magazine:

Constantly evolving to offer the latest technologies

Prototype Projects mark 35 years by opening a new specialist 3D Printing suite. The launch of a new specialist 3D Printing suite at Prototype Projects in July 2016 marked a milestone in the company’s development.

The new 2,000 sq ft 3D Printing suite more than doubled the overall size of the Prototype Projects facilities in Royston, and consolidates all the 3D Printing services and capacity (comprised of existing and new investments) offered by Prototype Projects across four different specialist technologies:

• Stereolithography (SLA)
• Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)
• Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) and
• DLP

The suite also incorporates a specialist medical materials 3D Printing unit and clean area, which is used for the prototyping of new medical and drug delivery device designs – a particularly strong growth area for Prototype Projects.

It was opened by local MP Sir Oliver Heald who toured the facility with Managing Director Justin Pringle.

Demand for 3D Printing services for rapid prototyping and additive manufacturing of production parts has grown significantly over the last 5 years.

Yet more ‘traditional’ services such as vacuum casting and CNC machining are still as popular as ever.

With clients ranging from entrepreneurial start-ups to multinational product and technology manufacturers and specialist product design and engineering consultancies, Prototype Projects has a broad range of skills and expertise to offer – as the following client showcases show.

3D Printing for Rapid Prototyping

Internationally renowned photographer Tony Chau routinely carried a variety of flash unit modifiers, diffusers and filters on his assignments around the globe.

Tony wanted a single multifunction flash, but unable to find what he needed, decided to invent his own product and called it the BounceLite. Prototype Projects first produced SLA concept models of the BounceLite, followed by further models for tests and demonstrations.

A full suite of silicone tools for each component was produced, including two shot over mouldings, so parts could be produced in strong polyurethane materials, and Tony took six fully functional models to demonstrate at Photokina in Germany, the world’s largest photographic tradeshow.

Tony says: “From our first concept model to the advanced prototypes we showed at Photokina, I could not have been happier with my experience of Prototype Projects.”

To read the full case study, click here

Opportunities for Additive Manufacturing

3D Printing is used in rapid prototyping, but is increasingly used as a flexible method for manufacturing low volumes of production parts.

Tonejet had been using Prototype Projects’ SLA, vacuum casting and CNC services for many years in the prototyping of parts for high tech print head technologies.

Aware of the cost and time efficiencies offered by SLA and SLS for additive manufacturing of production parts, they asked Prototype Projects to produce a range of components and mounting brackets for use in the range of printer technologies.

Parts that had previously been machined were made using SLS, and the cost savings and efficiencies quickly became apparent.

Nigel Brooks of Tonejet said: “We knew of the benefits of using additive manufacturing for production parts, and needed a reliable partner to help us realise those benefits. From the outset, Prototype Projects have been a truly consultative and flexible partner.”

To read the full case study, click here

3D, but not 3D Printing

Elsewhere, Prototype Projects experience extends to the prototyping of products using other technologies, including vacuum casting.

For example, when Toby Mills needed a prototype model of his new product Tracca, his key goal was to get it productised in 12 months. Tracca helps pet owners monitor the whereabouts their animals using a GPS device attached to a collar and an app to track it with.

Prototype Projects provided prototype models of the Tracca using vacuum casting, a service with which Toby Mills was delighted. Speaking of his experience, Toby said: “I wanted to work with a partner that could share my vision for this product. Prototype Projects did everything possible to help.”

To read the full case study, click here