The media and press will have you believe that 3D printing is a new technology. However, it’s been around for 30 years, invented by 3D System’s Chuck Hull. CRDM have been printing for almost 20 years in High Wycombe, making us recognised experts in this field.
3D printing offers an alternative way of prototyping and low volume manufacturing; the key benefits are making parts quicker than traditional methods of manufacturing, thereby shortening the design cycle as well as possibility reducing costs.
Sectors that use this technology are automotive & auto sport, medical, aerospace, architects, designers and inventors
There are four ways that we can print…
- SLA (Stereolithography) where we cure photopolymer liquids with a laser to make parts.
- SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) where a laser accurately melts nylon powder in 0.1mm layers.
- FDM (Fused Deposition Modelling) is a process of heating ABS material through a heated nozzle through a process which is like icing a cake.
- DMP and DMLS (Direct Metal Printing or Direct Metal Laser Sintering) is printing components from metal powder in 40 micron layers using a laser.
Before we can print parts, we need to have 3D CAD. The main format is an STL file and this is the universal language that 3D printers read. STL files are simply sliced into layers and 3D printing will print each slice of the CAD, layer by layer, to make a complete part or component.
CRDM focus on the professional and production aspect of manufacture, running machines that only a few companies in the UK that have the skills and resources to operate.
