Unilathe saves time and money by adding a new dimension in parts production

Tooling Engineer David Belfield

Unilathe has made a five-figure investment in a state-of-the-art 3D printer to support its growth plans.

The FDM-style printer will help bring down costs and reducing time when it comes to making fixtures sections and other parts for machined engineering projects.

Elaborate or simple parts can be printed ranging from something the size of a matchstick up to a fixture approximately 14 x 10 inches.

Reducing lead time

Tooling Engineer David Belfield who has been trained to operate the 3D printer said: “Originally, we would have had to design a fixture, then have the material flame or laser cut and then put on a machine to make it the right shape.

“The printer can be programmed to go from raw plastic to finished goods. It removes the need to cut it on a machine and significantly reduces lead time.“

As well as being good news for Unilathe, the next step is to offer the service to other customers and companies.