A UK 3D-printing specialist is targeting a £3m opportunity after launching a new CNC milling tool that will offer manufacturers the best of both worlds. Rapid Fusion, which employs eight people at its recently opened Exeter R&D centre, has created a high-performance electro-spindle that will provide the precision milling and post-processing of polymer 3D prints.

Eight months in gestation, the breakthrough technology will be fitted to the company’s future Zeus 3D robotic systems, providing clients with the opportunity to enjoy the speed of additive manufacturing with the precision of subtractive machining – all in a single 6 x 6 m cell. The tool is suitable for use on high-quality moulds across a range of industries.

“This CNC milling tool has the potential to be a real game changer for manufacturers and has been designed in partnership with a number of end users to ensure we deliver exactly what they need,” explains Martin Jewell, R&D director at Rapid Fusion. “3D printing can give unrivalled speed and creates moulds near net shape, within 3 to 4 mm. Certain applications need even greater precision and this is where you can call in a CNC milling tool to remove the excess material. Going forward, we’ll be able to offer this as a single turnkey solution.”

He adds: “The advantages are huge. We know we can deliver repeatable quality and, in a trial project, we reduced the lead time for a mould tool from six to eight weeks to just five days.”

The CNC milling tool comes equipped with a tool changer, allowing users to swap between it and the 3D printing pellet extruder on a robot set-up. It can also handle engineering-grade materials, such as glass- and carbon-filled PEI and PEEK polymers.

More information www.rapidfusion.co.uk