Request a quote | Materials used | Download Newsletter

Rapid Manufacturing

The Keyworth Institute operates a Vanguard HS HiQ SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) Rapid Manufacturing machine. This supports a range of activities within the University including research, prototype development and teaching, and outside as a sub contractor to companies involved in the design and development of new products.

State of the art equipment

The Vanguard HiQ is one of only a few such machines in use in the UK and was installed at the University of Leeds in 2002. Supplied by 3D Systems Corporation it is regarded as one of the best all round systems in its class for producing functional thermoplastic models. The machine is supported by a team of specialists in the field of SLS manufacturing with experience gained over thirteen years.

Key features

• The equipment is designed to operate with a range of materials. Currently four plastics and one metal material are available
• The system can construct parts at an amazing rate of 16mm per hour in the vertical direction. Typically this means that parts are “in the hand” the following day
• The SLS technology is capable of producing low volume runs of plastic parts and selective parts in steel

The benefits

The key benefits of our Rapid Manufacturing service are:

• Customers can realise significant cost and time savings while bringing new products to market
• Customers can be guaranteed parts of a known and consistently high quality that require little or no post processing
• Customers can receive functional models from their 3D CAD data within 24 hours

Our track record

The Keyworth Institute has been providing SLS services to industry since 1993. We have a customer base of more than 75 companies, including many design houses and sub contractors to blue chip companies.