SUZ
Proto Labs CNC Machines
Proto Labs has recently boosted its fleet of CNC machines as it continues to invest in manufacturing technology.
Proto Labs, the rapid prototyping and on-demand manufacturer, has made its largest investment in its European infrastructure since the company’s UK division was established 12 years ago.
Around €4 million will be injected for new manufacturing technology and facility renovations, primarily in Telford, UK, but also in its other locations in Europe. The investment has been made as Proto Labs addresses and prepares itself for current and projected demand within Europe of the company’s advanced manufacturing services.
During June and July 2017, Proto Labs, digital manufacturing service providers in 3D printing, CNC machining and injection moulding, confirmed their large-scale purchase of Haas CNC machines and ARBURG injection moulding machines. The Haas machines will be configured for either mould making or component machining, with both of these services growing at a rapid pace. Including the new machines, Proto Labs UK’s inventory now totals 130 CNC machining and 57 injection moulding machines.
“Proto Labs offers a supremely fast and reliable service,” said Lee Ball, Proto Labs General Manager in the UK. “Because customers today across all industries require fast turnaround, especially in product development, our continuous investment allows us to meet the ever-growing needs of our thousands of customers across all industries.
“We are seeing demand for moulded parts increase across the board year-over-year, from both long-standing and new customers, for a range of products and industries. To meet predicted levels of growth, a critical leverage is this investment in new technology.”
Meanwhile, Proto Labs’ industrial 3D printing service, which operates from two sites in Germany, is also seeing a growth in demand.
“The rapid increase in order intake is being fuelled by more customers, across varied industry sectors, now realising the extensive possibilities to prototype parts with complex geometries cost-effectively using 3D printing technology. For certain parts, the only possible option is to manufacture using this technology,” said Daniel Cohn, Managing Director of Proto Labs 3D printing business in Feldkirchen, Germany. “For example, our Eschenlohe facility is certified with EN ISO 13485:2012 quality management standards. For customers, they benefit from our technical capabilities to manufacture specific medical devices using 3D printing DMLS technology, including parts approved for human implantation.”
This recent capacity growth is reinforced by business expansion across Proto Labs’ European locations. Since 2015, the business has supported annual growth in excess of 20 percent in manufacturing and engineering, sales and administrative functions.
“Additional space will be required within the next 18 to 24 months to accommodate our projected level of growth, both to our office space and manufacturing capacity,” said Lee Ball. A similar expansion plan is also in development to support expected growth in the company’s German facilities at Eschenlohe and Feldkirchen.
