Addition Design has expanded its range of services with the installation of an industrial additive manufacturing (AM) machine for the batch production of components in a variety of high-grade engineering polymers.
The Prodways ProMaker P1000, housed within a dedicated production suite at the Sheffield-based consultancy’s facility, is one of only a handful of such machines installed in the UK and will enable the company to support high value manufacturers in the scaling up and quality production of their industrial 3D printed components quickly and efficiently.
The new manufacturing capability complements Addition Design’s existing consultancy, design and training services to provide a complete one-stop shop to help companies realise the benefits of additive manufacturing.
“AM can deliver significant added-value to many businesses in terms of cost and waste reductions and profitability improvements,” commented Ben Smith, Addition Design’s AM Development Engineer. “Our ability to manufacture and supply AM components in engineering polymers such as nylon, glass and carbon fibre reinforced nylon, polypropylene and thermoplastic elastomers, enables us to support customers in getting the best out of the technology, providing a notable return on investment and boosting their bottom line.”
While 3D printing is more commonly associated with low-volume production and rapid prototyping, additive manufacturing utilises industrial 3D printing technology for series or volume production of end-use components. AM can deliver production efficiencies and supply-chain flexibility, minimising down time and equipment maintenance.
Addition Design provides specialised consulting, training and component manufacture in 3D printing, tailored to customers’ individual requirements. The company’s objective is to unlock the potential of 3D printing to deliver cost and performance benefits for its clients