Jason Ford

Facility will help businesses to harness 3D printing technique

News

Exeter University has taken delivery of a machine that will place its Centre for Additive Layer Manufacturing (CALM) at the forefront of 3D printing.

CALM, a £2.6m facility that will officially launch later this year, will enable businesses, entrepreneurs and researchers to harness the potential of the new 3D printing technique.

This is a new production technique that can create complex or bespoke parts and complete products by building them up one layer at a time in specialist machines.

The facility has taken delivery of a machine that allows 3D printing using a type of high-performance plastic that can be used as an alternative to metal due to its strength and heat resistance.

According to Exeter University, the EOSINT P800 is the only machine in the UK that can manufacture high-performance thermoplastics (such as PEEK and PEK) through the additive-layer process.

Dr Sara Flint, commercial manager for CALM, said: ‘Additive-layer manufacturing allows you to design and make things that were impossible to make before. You can make complex components or reduce something that used to be made from several parts to just one piece.

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