Aerospace

• 3D printing SLA parts for wind tunnel aero optimisation.
• FDM 3D printing fire retardant production parts.
• Metal Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing) parts with integral honeycomb structures to retain maximum strength whilst substantially reducing weight. 
• Manufacturing complete 1:1 scale rotating radar systems for customers sales and marketing exhibitions around the world including international air shows.

Automotive

• 1:4 scale SLA ceramic wind tunnel models.
• FDM 3D printed soluble cores for carbon fibre mould production.
• 1:1 scale gearbox and differential housings, 3D printed on large volume SLA machines.  A polished and lacquered clear finish revealed internal components.
• Large capacity CNC milling for manufacture of bodywork and chassis components.
• 5-axis machining of production suspension-steering components.
• Metal Additive Manufactured (3D Printed) components with internal fluid-air channels (not possible by means of standard machining operations).

Defence

Processes – Metal Additive Manufacturing, CNC Post-Machining, Alochrome Finish, CMM Inspection

CA Models 3D printed an optical enclosure in Aluminium using our metal additive manufacturing technology.  Tight tolerances and an internal component fitting required post-machining to achieve sizes that were not possible from the metal additive manufacturing process alone.

The CAD underwent extensive modification to accommodate the manual finishing and post-machining processes.  Bespoke jigs and fixtures were made to clamp the components to one of our 5 axis milling machines.

The enclosures were then Alochromed and put through the final process, our CMM inspection to verify sizes and ensure specific drawing tolerances were met.

Medical Device

• Numerous types of handheld monitoring equipment models, utilising the entire range of our prototyping technologies.
• Multiple vacuum cast products in food-grade materials.
• CNC machined surgical instruments and assemblies in medical grade materials.
• Various 3D printed, self-administration drug delivery devices, finished and painted to the highest achievable specifications.

With the addition of a second metal additive manufacturing machine, we will be exploring the ability to manufacture medical grade implants.  More information on this exciting development will be revealed soon.

Motorsport

Processes – Metal Additive Manufacturing, CNC Post Machining, CMM Inspection

CA Models built the double water inlet/outlet components using metal additive manufacturing.  This method guaranteed component strength as well as being lightweight.  Another vital benefit of metal additive manufacturing is that the components would be hollow, as required in this instance. 

This process firstly involved choosing the optimum build orientation to achieve the best possible build quality.  The CAD was then altered to provide additional stock on the component.  This alteration is essential when a component requires post-machining.

Once the build was completed, the components were carefully hand-dressed then passed to the CNC Department.  Bespoke jigs were made to hold the components in place while they were post-machined to exact tolerance specification.  All components were inspected using CMM Inspection for dimensional accuracy.

Oil & Gas

CA Models has been supplying the oil and gas industry with sales, marketing and training models since the early 80s. Our very highly skilled engineers and pattern and model makers whose experience is founded on traditional techniques and materials, subsequently adapted to the introduction of rapid prototyping (RP) in the 90s.

Today, the industry benefits from integrating and combining numerous manufacturing technologies - multi-axis milling and turning for the manufacture of precision machined components, as well as 3D printing parts in a variety of materials.

One of the most exciting advances in RP for CA Models is the development of metal additive manufacturing - 3D printing metal parts from CAD data.  

The distinct advantage we have is the ability to build and post-machine RP components in-house. The post-machining process is essential to achieve tightly toleranced bores or features, capable of being interfaced with other machined components and assemblies.

Product Design

Processes – SLA, SLS, CNC, Paint Room and Modelshop

SES Satellites approached CA Models to produce three very unique, fully functioning prototypes of design winning satellite dishes.  Each of the three prototypes required components to be 3D printed in SLA and SLS.  CA Models’ iPro was chosen to build the SLA components due to its large platform size 750mm x 700mm x 650mm. Also, the surface finish of the SLAs allow for a high end painted finish necessary for these models.  The SLS components were built in Nylon materials with strong durability for the parts that required structural integrity. 

The Blossom and Dragon designs required components to be CNC machined in CA Models’ machining department in aluminium, stainless steel and alloy materials.  Perspex platforms were also CNC machined at CA Models so that all three designs could be mounted once assembled.

All of the components were then hand finished in the Workshop, before being painted and lacquered with two-pack paint/lacquer in our professional paint room.  Finally, each prototype was assembled and mounted onto their perspex platforms.

Prior to shipping, the prototype satellites were packed into bespoke shipping cases which were also built at CA Models specifically to ship the models safely to the customer in Luxemburg.