Conventional Manufacturing Services
Besides additive manufacturing services, we also offer conventional manufacturing services, including vacuum casting, CNC milling and low-volume injection moulding.
Vacuum Casting
Vacuum casting is a fast and cost-effective method for producing high-quality plastic parts with properties comparable to injection-moulded components. Parts are cast using a silicone mould, which is created from a 3D-printed master pattern. Since silicone tooling is used to cast the parts, each mould can be reused multiple times to replicate the same component. The casting materials for vacuum casting are typically polyurethane resins that mimic the mechanical properties of commonly used plastics.
Vacuum casting is ideal for functional testing, marketing samples, or limited production runs of end-use parts.
CNC Milling
CNC (Computer Numerical Control) milling is a subtractive manufacturing process that uses computer-controlled, rotating multi-point cutting tools to remove material from a solid workpiece, producing a custom-designed part or product.
A wide range of materials can be machined using CNC, including metals, plastics, and composites.
CNC milling offers high accuracy and repeatability, making it ideal for parts with complex geometries. It also reduces the need for manual intervention during production.
However, CNC machining involves high initial investment in equipment, and setup can be time-consuming. Skilled operators and programmers are required to ensure efficient and precise operation.
Low-Volume Injection Moulding
Injection moulding is a manufacturing process used to produce parts by injecting molten material into a mould. It is widely applied across industries to create everything from small components to large car body panels.
A variety of materials can be used, including thermoplastics, thermosets, elastomers, metals, and ceramics.
The main advantages of injection moulding are high efficiency, consistency in mass production, and compatibility with a wide range of materials.
However, the initial tooling costs are high, and part designs must be carefully optimised to avoid defects during production.
By using aluminium or steel tooling, we apply high-volume production methods and materials to low-volume manufacturing — which is the core advantage of this approach.
Caron Forging
Carbon fibre components are increasingly being used in other industries, such as machinery, robotics, or medical equipment, and the demand for more complex parts is growing. And like any manufacturing technique, the production of carbon-filled parts also has its specific drawbacks:
- High start-up and production costs
- Limited design freedom
- Little to no room for customisation
Carbon Forging does not rely on vacuum or prepreg technology (i.e. high pressure or high temperature). In this relatively simple process, the tooling is designed and produced directly from the CAD file of a part. The carbon fibres or fabrics are then placed into a 3D-printed mould at room temperature. The mould is then closed, and the part cures under the pressure of the clamped mould sections.
Since the mould is 3D-printed, this also offers more design possibilities for producing components with more complex geometries, variable thicknesses, or inserts.
Parts can have very high stiffness and lower weight compared to, for example, aluminium. And using both short and long fibres and applying them to a limited extent in the Z-direction also offers the possibility to incorporate fine details into designs, such as thin edges.
The Benefits of Additive Manufacturing (AM) and Carbon Forging:
- The ability to produce lighter and stiffer components than, for example, aluminium,
- A significantly shorter lead time, as traditional tooling is not required,
- Low start-up costs for the mould, as it is produced via 3D-printing in plastic,
- Cost-efficient and flexible production of parts in smaller quantities (mass customisation).
What kind of applications could benefit from this?
- Medical equipment such as scanners, where components must not interfere with imaging,
- Machinery, where strong and specific parts are often required,
- Robotics, to produce rigid components that enable fast and precise movements and/or positioning,
- Lightweight components with good shielding capabilities for electronic applications.
