Customer Profile
No stranger to the benefits of 3D printing, UK uPVC specialist Liniar invested in a new Stratasys F370 to speed product development.
The company designs windows, doors, conservatories, decking, and fencing for specialist fabricators and installers. With 50+ registered patents and a Queen’s Award, 3D printing is central to their success.
Impact
Liniar used a Stratasys Objet260 Connex3 for nearly six years, then added the F370 to ramp capabilities. “3D printing has become an integral part of our design process. I think we’d be lost without it now,” said Tom Roberts, Design Manager. While the Connex3 offers precision multi-material color printing, the F370 produces functional parts for vigorous testing.
“With the two printers we have the best of both worlds: we can print rigid material for extruder profiles, and we also have a co-extruder gasket on our profiles. We can design products, assemble them, make changes, re-print, and try again — all in a day.”
Large products like doors, windows, and decking need features such as screw ports and clips. With 3D printed parts, Roberts’ team can screw together full assemblies like end-use products and validate function.
“As great as 3D CAD is, it’s always nice to have a physical part in your hands to test if it performs as you think. Tooling can cost hundreds of thousands of pounds — having confidence before cutting steel is ideal.”
Discover the key benefits and features of Polymer 3D Printers or choose our AM Consultancy Service to manage your entire product development process.
