Skip to content
AM for Manufacturing
From prototyping to production
3D Printing for manufacturing is a spark for efficiency, accelerates prototyping to cutting lead times and costs of tooling to get to market faster. Additive manufacturing allows the production of Surrogate parts, prototyping, jigs and fixtures, tooling, injection moulding and end use parts to be produced rapidly, in short runs or as one-off parts. These are just some of the examples of what is possible by integrating 3D printing into your factory.
Benefits of 3D Printing in Manufacturing
- Design Freedom & Complexity - 3D printing removes traditional tooling constraints, allowing engineers to produce complex geometries (e.g., lattices, organic structures, internal channels) that improve performance, reduce weight and consolidate multi‑part assemblies into single optimised components
- Rapid Prototyping & Iteration - Accelerate product development by producing functional prototypes in hours or days — not weeks. Fast iteration reduces design risk and shortens the development cycle
- Customisation & Personalisation - Produce bespoke or low‑volume personalised parts without expensive changeovers or tooling — ideal for specialised industrial components or unique product variants
- Reduced Material Waste & Sustainability - Additive processes use only the material needed — layer by layer — lowering scrap waste and improving environmental performance versus subtractive machining
- On‑Demand Manufacturing & Virtual Inventory - Store part files digitally and manufacture only when required, drastically reducing warehouse costs and the risk of obsolescence
- Supply Chain Resilience & Local Production - By decentralising production and enabling local part manufacturing, businesses can mitigate disruptions to global supply chains
- Part Consolidation & Assembly Reduction - 3D printing enables combining multiple traditionally separate parts into single parts, reducing assembly time and potential failure points — lowering total lifecycle costs
- Faster Tooling & Mould Production - 3D printed tooling, moulds and fixtures can be produced faster and cheaper than traditional methods, enabling quicker setup for injection moulding or casting operations
Manufacturing Applications
Manufacturing Aids & Tooling
- Jigs, fixtures & gauges – custom supports or assembly aids tailored to specific machines
- Injection mould tooling & inserts – rapid mould production for short runs or validation batches
Automotive & Transport
- Lightweight structural brackets – complex, weight‑optimised parts used in vehicle assemblies
- Custom prototypes & fit‑check parts – allows engineers to verify form and function before full production
Aerospace
- Lattice‑structured aerospace components – lightweight, high‑strength parts optimised for fuel efficiency
- Replacement parts for legacy aircraft – on‑demand production of discontinued or hard‑to‑source components
End‑Use Production Parts
- Functional end components – small runs of high‑performance parts such as brackets, housings, and customised cases
- Low‑volume batch production – economically viable for parts that would be expensive with traditional tooling
Machine Maintenance & Spares
- Custom machine parts for factories – rapid manufacture of spare parts for packaging, conveyor systems or assembly lines (e.g., printing spare parts for Heineken production machines)
Prototyping & Testing
- Design validation models – functional prototypes for testing mechanical performance and fit
- Showcase models for stakeholder review – physical models to demonstrate form, aesthetics, or ergonomics
