Additive Manufacturing
Prototal was one of the first company in Europe to use 3D-printing. Already in the 1980's we were printing parts for constructors, consultants and procurement departments throughout Scandinavia.
We empower innovation by harnessing the potential of advanced additive manufacturing with various 3D printing technologies. With Prototal as your partner, you get our experience, know-how and the reassurance that we understand your future manufacturing process.
Bring your design to life with additive manufacturing
At its core, 3D printing harnesses the power of cutting-edge technology to bring digital designs to life. The advantages of additive manufacturing are truly remarkable. From rapid prototyping and custom manufacturing to reducing material waste and enhancing design flexibility, this disruptive technology offers advantages across all industries. Additive manufacturing opens doors to faster production cycles, cost-effective solutions, and customization.
Embracing additive manufacturing brings forth a new era of innovation and creativity. With the ability to iterate designs quickly and produce highly intricate parts with ease, businesses can accelerate their product development processes and gain a competitive edge in the market.
Why additive manufacturing?
There are many reasons why you should choose 3D printing as your manufacturing method. Below you'll find some of the reasons.
- Smarter design
- Cost-effective
- Fast to market
- Possibility for rapid changes
- Minimal material usage
- Digital inventory
Additive manufacturing is also a sustainable choice. It achieves sustainability through minimized waste production, utilizing materials with precision, enabling innovative design possibilities, facilitating on-demand manufacturing, managing spare parts digitally, and exploring the use of environmentally friendly bio-based materials.
In essence, AM offers a holistic solution that reduces waste, optimizes resources, ensures efficient production, streamlines inventory management, and contributes to a more sustainable future.
3D print guidelines
Our helpful guides are specifically designed to assist you before submitting your design to us. We always strive to achieve the best possible outcome, and by following our guidelines, you can be confident that your design will be of the highest quality.
Get in touch with us if you need guidance, we are happy to help you!
FAQs
3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, offers a wide range of advantages that have made it increasingly popular across various industries. Here are some key advantages of 3D printing:
- Design Flexibility: 3D printing allows for intricate and complex designs that are difficult or impossible to achieve with traditional manufacturing methods. It offers design freedom, enabling the creation of geometries and structures that were previously impractical or cost-prohibitive.
- Rapid Prototyping: 3D printing enables rapid prototyping, significantly reducing the time and cost involved in developing prototypes. It allows for quick iterations and design improvements, accelerating the product development cycle.
- Cost Efficiency: Traditional manufacturing often involves high setup costs and tooling expenses. With 3D printing, these costs can be minimized or eliminated since it requires little to no tooling. It is particularly advantageous for low-volume production or customized/personalized manufacturing.
- Reduced Waste: 3D printing is an additive process that minimizes material wastage. It only uses the exact amount of material required for building the object, leading to more sustainable and environmentally friendly manufacturing.
- Complex Geometry and Customization: 3D printing enables the creation of complex geometries, intricate internal structures, and customizable designs. This is particularly beneficial for industries such as aerospace, healthcare, and architecture, where highly specialized and personalized products are required.
- Supply Chain Optimization: Additive manufacturing can decentralize production, allowing for on-demand manufacturing closer to the point of need. This can lead to reduced lead times, lower transportation costs, and optimized supply chains.
These advantages make 3D printing a valuable tool in various industries, including aerospace, automotive, healthcare, consumer goods, and more. By leveraging the benefits of 3D printing, businesses can gain a competitive edge, drive innovation, and unlock new possibilities in product development and manufacturing processes.
Within the Prototal Group we offer a lot of different 3D-printing techniques:
- MJF: Multi Jet Fusion
- SLS: Selective Laser Sintering
- SLA: Stereolithography
- SAF: Selective Absorption Fusion
- PolyJet
- FDM: Fused Deposition Modeling
Within the Prototal Group, we have a wide range of materials. We are always developing, but right now this is what we have:
- ClearVue
- Xtreme Grey
- PA12
- PA12GB
- PA12W
- TPU88A
- TPU95A
- "Rubber" 50A-80A
- DuraForm TPU59A
- PP
- PA1101
- PA2200
- PA2210
- PA3200
- Alumide
- PA603-CF
Additive Manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, is a transformative manufacturing process that revolutionizes the way objects are created. Unlike traditional manufacturing methods that rely on subtractive techniques, where material is removed from a solid block, Additive Manufacturing builds objects layer by layer, adding material based on a digital design.
The process begins with a digital 3D model created using computer-aided design (CAD) software or obtained through 3D scanning. The model is then sliced into thin cross-sectional layers, which are subsequently sent to a 3D printer. The 3D printer interprets each layer's instructions and begins constructing the object by depositing or solidifying material, often in the form of filaments, powders, or liquid resins, depending on the printing technology employed.
As each layer is added, the material fuses or solidifies to adhere to the previous layer, gradually building up the desired object. This layer-by-layer approach allows for the creation of highly intricate geometries, complex internal structures, and even assemblies with moving parts, all within a single print job.
Common applications of Additive Manufacturing include prototyping, Customized Products, Aerospace, Automotive, Healthcare, Tooling and Manufacturing Aids, Consumer Goods and Spare Parts.
These are just a few examples, and the applications of AM continue to expand as the technology advances and becomes more accessible
Get in touch with us at Prototal and we will help you get started. We look forward hearing from you!
