Engineering company Urethane Moulded Products (UMP) has unveiled upgraded services and solutions for companies and contractors looking for 3D printed solutions. “We are a full-service business and many people in industry do not realise what we offer,” says Saahil Bhartu, Product Engineer at UMP. “From receiving an initial enquiry to proposing a solution, making the necessary moulds and manufacturing the product, the company is a one-stop shop for turnkey solutions no matter the size of the client.”
Product engineer Saahil Bhartu displays a 3D print (left) and the machined prototype (right).
The company has spent the past three years developing its offering and its technology and operator skillset. “UMP was contracted to help with a hydro-cyclone project and, on closer inspection, we realised that a one-off steel mould would have been out of the question,” says Bhartu. “The cost alone was prohibitive, let alone the machining and development. 3D printing has been around for years, but previously it was inaccessible for several reasons. By this stage, 3D printing was the only solution for this project.”
Besides the greater cost saving benefits of 3D printing models and moulds in plastic, the service has a shorter turnaround time, so clients get their products within days – traditional steel milling processes would have meant a far larger lead-time that would have held up projects. “We can carry out the design, produce the moulds, manufacture the product and then ensure it is delivered to the client within their deadline. Our service can be up to 40% quicker than traditional steelwork,” says Bhartu. He adds that this year UMP has added a stereolithography (SLA) printer to its workshop, which operates alongside its fused deposition modelling (FDM) printers.
“FDM is a little more intricate than plastic reel printing. You can use a range of materials that extend all the way to high-end engineering-grade composite materials. The technique is ideal for basic proof-of-concept models and quick and low-cost prototyping. On the other hand, SLA uses liquid resin to produce high-resolution parts with smooth surface finishes and fine details, which are sometimes difficult to achieve with FDM,” explains the product engineer.
This is only the beginning for UMP, though. “The success of our service has led us to move towards final product design and even more complex parts. We are happy to help anyone who is looking for product development. It does not matter if you are a huge multinational or a smaller enterprise working out of your garage, UMP’s 3D printing service can help,” Bhartu says.
Enquiries: www.ump.co.za
