UK additive manufacturing supplier expects £3M in sales.
UK-based Rapid Fusion, which specializes in large-format additive manufacturing (LFAM) of polymer components has announced the release of a new CNC milling tool with the aim of bridging the gap between additive and subtractive manufacturing.
According to the company, the new high-performance electro spindle was designed for precision milling and post-processing of polymer 3D printed parts. It’s made to integrate with Rapid Fusion’s ZEUS 3D robotic systems, which have a 6m by 6m (19.7ft x 19.7ft) footprint.
The company is aiming for £3M in sales with the new tool, targeting the automotive, aerospace and marine industries.
“This CNC milling tool has the potential to be a real game changer for manufacturers and has been designed in partnership with a number of end users to ensure we deliver exactly what they need,” said Martin Jewell, R&D director at Rapid Fusion in a press release.
Jewell says Rapid Fusion’s 3D printing technology can produce polymer molds on its own to near net shape, within 3-4mm. The CNC milling tool is intended for applications requiring greater precision. “We now know we can deliver repeatable quality, and, on one trial project, we reduced the lead time for a mold tool from six to eight weeks to just five days,” he said in the same release.
The CNC milling tool can be swapped out for the company’s 3D printing pellet extruder, which can process glass- and carbon-filled PEI and PEEK polymers. Rapid Fusion is a sister business of EVO 3D and is endeavoring to expand additive manufacturing in the UK.
“Everyone knows the UK is a fantastic breeding ground for ideas and innovation, yet we don’t commercialize enough of the new things we come up with,” Jewell said. “We’re trying to change this and the CNC milling tool will be an important weapon in our product portfolio for achieving that.
“When integrated into our new robotic platform, clients will be able to tap into the best of additive and subtractive manufacturing in one solution, benefitting from a host of time, cost and operational benefits – not to mention significant environmental savings from using less material and energy.”
