3D Metalforge, Ultimaker to launch Southeast Asia’s largest industrial FFF print facility

By OEM Update Editorial August 20, 2020 6:05 pm IST

Desktop 3D printing player Ultimaker and additive manufacturer 3D Metalforge announced their partnership and launch of Southeast Asia’s largest industrial fused filament fabrication (FFF) printing facility.

The new facility will offer industrial-grade, FFF 3D printing from Ultimaker’s professional S-Line 3D printers, providing a complete ecosystem of certified 24/7 printers, engineering materials, 3D print fleet management and 3D print preparation software. Against the backdrop of increasing demand for 3D-printed parts, this will enable 3D Metalforge to ramp up its printing capabilities for its clients in the defence, maritime, medical, and the oil and gas industries.

The print facility, located in the western part of Singapore, comprises 21 units of Ultimaker S3 3D printers. Metalforge decided to invest in FFF 3D printers with Ultimaker, due to the latter’s partnerships with large globally operating material companies through the Material Alliance, an open platform that consists of more than 45 brands and over 150 material types. This has enabled 3D Metalforge to broaden its offerings, catering to diverse needs and requirements in different sectors. It is currently printing various parts required for COVID-19-related projects.

3D printing which is also known as additive manufacturing (AM), is suitable for such projects as there are limitations to traditional manufacturing – the challenge of tight deadlines, and rapidly changing design parameters. Additionally, AM is more suited for high-mix, low-volume production, common factors necessitated by the changes brought on by the pandemic.

The launch of this facility has also helped 3D Metalforge realise and manage the local, distributed additive manufacturing vision with Ultimaker’s Digital Factory software platform, a remote 3D print fleet management system. This means that the company could potentially divert its production capability from Singapore to its upcoming facility in the US, or vice versa, to meet customer demand. This serves to create a more sustainable and agile supply chain.