complex components made possible by STAR Prototype
complex components made possible by STAR Prototype
Star Prototype have been breaking manufacturing ground in China for ten years using a combination of new age technologies like 3D printing alongside their traditional counterparts like CNC machining to deliver top quality parts for a host of applications.
The China-based, British-owned rapid manufacturer has now launched AddSub Manufacturing - a process that combines metal 3D printing and 5-axis CNC machining to quickly deliver complex, low-volume components that would previously have required the input of two separate bureaus.
STAR Prototype, which is based in Guandong Province, developed the service after it identified a significant demand for a one-stop-shop for such components.
Gordon Styles, president of STAR, said: "Most metal 3D printed parts are not used as prototypes, but as complex low-volume manufactured components, and many of these parts need certain high-precision features that are virtually impossible to produce with 3D printing alone."
"The problems arise because most 3D printing companies don't carry out secondary machining, meaning the customer needs to take care of the work themselves or farm it out to a specialist machining bureau."
STAR has removed this time-consuming and often error-strewn leg from the manufacturing process with the development of AddSub Manufacturing. The groundbreaking system allows parts to be transferred directly from its 3D printing machines onto its CNC machines without having to be removed from the build plate - a development that also resolves the troublesome issue of subcontractors getting to grips with 3D printed parts.
"STAR is world-renowned for its CNC machining capabilities and forward thinking approach to adopting new technology and improving customer service provision," continued Gordon. "AddSub was very much born out of a combination of the two and we are confident it will prove of enormous benefit to businesses across the globe."
STAR sees the Subtractive CNC element of AddSub as being ideal for mating faces, precision bores, tapped holes, spigots and other very necessary high-precision features, and feels AddSub is likely to be of particular use to the motor-sport, aerospace, military, medical and dental fields.
