Sample Shock Absorbers with Permanent Surface Colouring
3T
Last week, 3T announced it has launched a new online guide to Plastic AM Finishing.
This new resource is now live at www.3trpd.co.uk and serves to explain and demonstrate how the 3T team of skilled finishers and modelmakers use a variety of in-house techniques and bespoke finishing processes to produce the best possible parts for its customers.
Additive Manufacturing (AM) creates parts that can be used in a variety of applications and environments, from functional testing and assembly trials, through to marketing models or final production items, in a vast range of industry sectors. 3T has the ability to combine functionality with high quality aesthetics, tailored to meet the requirements of their customers to suit the application of its parts.
While the layer-based construction techniques of plastic additive manufacturing offers significant benefits in terms of build speed, it can sometimes give a stepped surface finish. From a purely functional aspect this is seldom a problem, however from the aesthetic perspective they may require additional finishing.
3T's specialist team can apply a range of finishes, from simply adding a permanent surface colour or highlighting certain areas, to fully-finished marketing models. Its Vibro Finishing machine gives a smooth finish on parts, offering a cost-effective alternative to traditional by-hand techniques. Furthermore, its team of finishers can incorporate customers' mechanical components, inserts or screw threads, and full assemblies can be carried out prior to shipment. Its metallised plating service provides further options for high-quality finishes and there are design guidelines for including text and logos on plastic parts.
The resulting finished models or prototype parts can play a vital role in functionality testing, securing tender bids, design verification and marketing photography. Finished parts are often comparable to the final manufactured item, with minimal time added to the delivery.
