Food & Drink Processing & Packaging Issue 49 2023 | Page 22

Professional plastic part manufacture

As a company that specialises in industrial 3D printing for low volume manufacture and batch production , 3DPRINTUK continues to grow at an impressive rate . The London-based company is unwavering in its use of high-end 3D printing systems to bridge the significant gap that exists between prototype and injection moulding . 3DPRINTUK provides an invaluable service for a wide range and growing number of customers where tooling costs are prohibitively expensive for their product or the volume demanded by injection moulding is excessive .
According to Nick Allen , 3DPRINTUK ’ s CEO : “ Our primary focus is absolutely low volume and batch production . As a result , we are seeing new and repeat customers using our service to manufacture their parts . We are consistently manufacturing more than 1 million parts annually and the numbers keep going up . However , because of the nature of the 3D printing processes and our focus on quality , we can produce parts in volumes of 1 , 10 , 100 , 1000 or 10,000 parts , so we can still offer a high-quality prototyping service for our customers that are in a new product development phase . They can test and quickly iterate their parts using
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our service , before using the same machines for manufacture .” THE YEAR IN VIEW
Over the last 12 months , 3DPRINTUK has taken the company to an even higher level , not least by becoming part of the Trimech Group through acquisition by Solid Solutions . With an approach based on the premise “ if it ’ s not broken , don ’ t fix it ” this move has solidified 3DPRINTUK ’ s position as a leading 3D printing service provider while extending its resources and supporting further growth .
ISO 9001
Some key goals have been the foundation of 3DPRINTUK ’ s success over the last year , notably the company achieved ISO 9001 certification at the end of 2022 . Quality has always been at the heart of the 3DPRINTUK service , but this certification provides reassurance to customers that the company operates at the highest levels for quality assurance and validation of 3D printed parts on a daily basis , in full compliance with the ISO 9001 standard .
Alessandro Catania , Quality and Compliance Manager at 3DPRINTUK stated at the time : “ It is really gratifying after going through the extensive ISO 9001:2015 process to be notified that there are zero findings . Quality and quality assurance are a central feature of all of the manufacturing and production services that we offer . And now we can prove it . By achieving ISO 9001 certification , we can demonstrate that all of our systems , processes and procedures meet the high demands that this certification requires for all of our 3D printed parts .” Following this successful outcome , 3DPRINTUK is in the process of qualifying for ISO 14001 .
ROAD TO NET ZERO
3DPRINTUK has also strived to ensure the company is run in full alignment with its stated values . Undertaking its Road to Net Zero initiative was essential to this and earlier this year , 3DPRINTUK set itself an ambitious target to become the first fully certified , net zero 3D printing bureau by the end of 2023 and to be the first 3D printing service to offset 100 % of its plastic output . Achieving certified net zero is no easy task , but the company takes climate change and its impact seriously and this is the driving force behind its roadmap .
Allen went on the record , saying :