3D Printing Services & Rapid Prototyping
UK Electronics provides industrial 3D printing services across the UK, with in-house Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) and Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) capabilities for rapid prototypes, functional components, jigs, fixtures and low-volume end-use parts.
Moving from a digital design to a physical component shouldn’t always mean waiting for production tooling.
With turnaround often available within 24–48 hours, 3D printing gives engineers the opportunity to produce, assess and refine physical parts quickly, whether developing a new electronic product, creating bespoke manufacturing tooling or producing components in lower volumes.
As part of our wider Concept to Manufacture capability, 3D printing sits alongside electronic design, PCB development, prototyping, assembly and testing. That means we don’t simply consider whether a part can be printed; we can understand how it needs to interact with the electronics, assembly or manufacturing process around it.
Industrial 3D Printing Services for Product Development
Industrial 3D printing provides engineers with a fast and flexible route from digital design to physical component.
Where producing a prototype enclosure, bracket or manufacturing fixture might once have required machining or dedicated tooling, additive manufacturing can allow a component to be produced directly from 3D design data.
That speed is particularly useful during product development.
An enclosure that appears correct within a CAD model may reveal a clearance issue once a populated PCB is installed. A connector opening may require adjustment. Cable routing may prove more difficult than expected. A production fixture may work in principle but become awkward for an operator when used repeatedly.
Producing physical parts earlier gives engineers an opportunity to identify these issues before they become embedded within the finished product or manufacturing process.
UK Electronics uses MJF and SLS 3D printing in-house to produce functional components for customers across the UK, supporting applications from initial prototypes through to production tooling and low-volume end-use parts.
Contact UsMulti Jet Fusion (MJF) 3D Printing
Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) is an industrial powder-bed 3D printing process capable of producing detailed, functional polymer components.
The process works with a bed of powdered material. Fusing and detailing agents are applied selectively before thermal energy fuses the required areas, building the component layer by layer.
MJF is well suited to applications where engineers require functional components rather than simply visual concept models, making it useful for prototypes, housings, fixtures and appropriate end-use parts.
UK Electronics currently offers MJF using PA12 Nylon and Ultrasint® TPU01.
Contact UsSelective Laser Sintering (SLS) 3D Printing
UK Electronics also provides in-house Selective Laser Sintering (SLS). Like MJF, SLS is a powder-bed additive manufacturing process. Rather than using fusing agents, a laser selectively fuses areas of polymer powder according to the geometry of the digital model.
The surrounding powder supports the component during manufacture, allowing complex geometries to be produced without the conventional support structures associated with some other 3D printing processes.
Rapid Prototyping and Functional 3D Printed Parts
One of the most valuable applications for 3D printing remains rapid prototyping.
A CAD model can tell an engineer a great deal about a component, but there is still considerable value in being able to hold, assemble and physically evaluate a design.
A 3D printed prototype can be used to investigate form, fit and function before a product progresses towards production.
With turnaround often available within 24–48 hours, prototypes can be produced quickly enough to form part of an iterative development process.
Design. Print. Evaluate. Refine.
If an issue is identified, the digital model can be changed and another component produced without waiting for new production tooling.
Finding that a connector needs moving, an enclosure requires additional clearance or a mounting arrangement needs changing during prototyping is considerably easier than making the same discovery after tooling has been commissioned or larger quantities have entered manufacture.
Custom Jigs, Fixtures and Production Tooling
Some of the most valuable 3D printed components never become part of the finished product.
UK Electronics also uses industrial 3D printing to produce custom jigs, fixtures and manufacturing aids.
Electronics manufacturing frequently creates requirements that aren’t suited to standard off-the-shelf tooling.
An assembly may need to be held consistently in a particular orientation. A component may require accurate positioning. An operator may benefit from a guide that makes a repetitive process easier and more consistent. A testing or inspection process may require a fixture designed specifically around one product.
3D printing allows these tools to be developed around the manufacturing requirement without necessarily requiring conventional machining or dedicated tooling.
Because the tooling begins as digital data, it can also evolve with the manufacturing process.
If an operator identifies an improvement or a product revision changes the assembly, the design can be modified and a revised fixture produced.
For prototype, NPI and lower-volume electronics manufacturing, that flexibility can be particularly valuable.
Contact UsLow-Volume 3D Printing for End-Use Parts
3D printing doesn’t have to stop when product development finishes.
UK Electronics can also manufacture low-volume 3D printed end-use components where the selected process and material are appropriate for the application.
At lower quantities, the cost and lead time associated with conventional production tooling may be difficult to justify. Some products may also require multiple variants, bespoke components or parts that continue to evolve throughout their lifecycle.
Additive manufacturing provides an alternative by allowing components to be manufactured directly from digital data without the same upfront tooling requirement.
This can make industrial 3D printing particularly useful for low-volume housings and components, specialist product variants, replacement parts, pre-production builds and bridge production before conventional tooling becomes available.
As quantities increase, other manufacturing methods may provide better economics.
The question therefore isn’t simply:
“Can this part be 3D printed?”
It is:
“Is 3D printing the right manufacturing process for this component, quantity and application?”
3D Printing Materials and Finishing Options
Material selection has a significant influence on how a 3D printed component will perform.
UK Electronics currently offers three core materials across its in-house MJF and SLS capability:
- PA12 Nylon (MJF) – a versatile material for strong, functional prototypes and components.
- PA12 Glass Filled Nylon (SLS) – suited to applications requiring increased stiffness and dimensional stability.
- Ultrasint® TPU01 (MJF) – a flexible material for components requiring elasticity rather than a rigid structure.
The printing process is only one part of producing the finished component.
A range of 3D printing post-processing and finishing options is also available, including vapour polishing, vibro polishing and colour dyeing.
These processes allow the finish of a component to be considered alongside its functional requirements, particularly where printed parts will remain visible within the finished product or be supplied as end-use components.
Contact UsFrom CAD Design to 3D Printed Component
Most projects begin with existing digital design data supplied by the customer.
UK Electronics can take supplied 3D design files and use them to produce the required prototype, tooling or finished component.
Where a print-ready design isn’t already available, we can also assist with file generation and the development of sample parts, helping customers move from an initial requirement towards a component suitable for manufacture.
Designing for additive manufacturing still requires engineering consideration.
Geometry, wall sections, clearances, mating features and the intended mechanical function can all influence the finished result.
Where a printed component forms part of an electronic product, additional factors such as PCB mounting arrangements, connector apertures, cable routing and assembly sequence may also need to be considered.
Thinking about these requirements before manufacture can reduce unnecessary iterations and help ensure that the finished component performs the job it was designed to do.
When Is 3D Printing the Right Manufacturing Process?
3D printing is particularly effective where speed, flexibility, design complexity or relatively low quantities make conventional manufacturing methods less attractive.
During product development, it allows physical parts to be produced before a design is frozen.
During NPI, it can provide bespoke fixtures and manufacturing aids without lengthy tooling lead times.
For lower-volume production, it can allow suitable end-use components to be manufactured directly from digital data.
It also makes design changes relatively straightforward. If a mounting point moves, an enclosure requires additional clearance or a fixture can be improved, the digital model can be updated before another component is produced.
But 3D printing isn’t automatically the best manufacturing process for every part.
Higher production quantities may favour conventional manufacturing methods, while particular mechanical, material, dimensional or surface requirements may be better served by another process.
UK Electronics therefore approaches 3D printing as one manufacturing technology within a wider product-development process, rather than trying to make every component fit the process.
Contact Us3D Printing Within Electronic Product Development
The value of UK Electronics’ in-house 3D printing capability extends beyond producing an individual component.
It sits alongside our wider capabilities in electronic design, PCB design, PCB prototyping, electronic assembly, inspection, testing and manufacture.
This allows additive manufacturing to become part of the wider product-development process.
An electronic design can progress into PCB layout and prototype manufacture. Enclosures or mechanical components can then be 3D printed so the physical product can be assembled and evaluated. Issues identified during assembly or testing can feed back into the design before another iteration is produced.
3D printing can also support the manufacturing process itself through bespoke jigs and fixtures developed around the product.
This creates a closer relationship between design, prototyping, mechanical integration and production, helping customers move from an initial concept towards a manufacturable electronic product.
For businesses looking to develop complete electronic products rather than simply purchase an isolated printed component, that wider engineering and manufacturing capability is an important distinction.
Contact UsWhy Choose UK Electronics for 3D Printing?
UK Electronics provides industrial 3D printing within an established electronics engineering and manufacturing environment.
With in-house MJF and SLS capability, we can support rapid prototypes, functional components, bespoke enclosures, manufacturing jigs and fixtures and appropriate low-volume end-use parts.
Turnaround is often available within 24–48 hours, helping engineers evaluate designs and make changes without lengthy waits for conventional tooling.
Customers can provide existing design files or work with us where assistance is required with file generation and sample development, while a choice of functional materials and finishing processes allows components to be produced around the requirements of the application.
Most importantly, where 3D printing forms part of a wider electronics project, it can be integrated with UK Electronics’ design, prototyping, assembly and testing capabilities to support the complete journey from Concept to Manufacture.
Contact UsDiscuss Your 3D Printing Requirements
Whether you need a rapid prototype, bespoke electronic enclosure, manufacturing fixture or low-volume end-use component, UK Electronics can help determine the appropriate route from digital design to physical part.
With in-house MJF and SLS 3D printing alongside our wider electronics engineering and manufacturing capabilities, we can support individual components or integrate additive manufacturing into a complete product-development and manufacturing project.
Talk to UK Electronics about your 3D printing requirements.
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