Minimized production time with accurate and durable end parts for aerospace industry. Western Tool & Mold purchased Fortus Production System to further extend and complement the manufacturing process
Stratasys Asia Pacific, a subsidiary of Stratasys Ltd. (NASDAQ: SSYS), a global leader of 3D printing and additive manufacturing solutions, today announced that Western Tool & Mold had decided to purchase its second Fortus 3D Production System from Stratasys in its continued effort to minimize production time and improve resource management with accurate and durable end parts for the aerospace industry.
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| End Cap - 3D printed aerospace components |
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| End Cap / Upper Pelmet - 3D printed aerospace components |
Western Tool & Mold (WTM) specializes in tooling fabrication and injection molding of engineering grade resins, producing a wide range of products including aerospace components. WTM purchased its first Stratasys Fortus 400mc Production System, three years ago to make parts for aircraft interiors. Most of these parts are made with Stratasys ULTEM 9085, a Fused Deposition Molding (FDM) thermoplastic that complies with applicable government regulatory requirements for the aerospace industry. ULTEM 9085 is a strong, lightweight material that is heat resistant, flame-retardant, and offers full FST (flame, smoke and toxicity), ideal for aerospace applications.
"Manufacturing process, particularly in the aerospace industry, is an ongoing challenge," said Collin Wilkerson, Managing Director of Western Tool & Mold. "Aircrafts placed on an assembly line need parts instantly. Receiving the parts on time is critical as penalties are placed if deadlines are missed. Stratasys 3D printing technology saves time, giving us the power to produce parts to quickly provide solutions to our customers' problems, meeting immediate needs with accurate and durable end parts."
Integrating Stratasys 3D printing technology into the scope of service to customers has proved to be a successful added revenue stream for WTM with 100% customers returning to manufacture additional parts, using the Fused Deposition (FDM) Fortus 400mc Production System. WTM has recently made an additional purchase of a second Fortus machine - Fortus 900mc - to further extend and complement existing manufacturing processes.
"Costs saved by customers could be used for tooling. 3D printing is not cutting income from our tooling and injection molding business. Rather, it enables us to become a better supplier to our customers," Wilkerson further commented.
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About Western Tool & Mold
Founded in 2004, the Western Tool & Mold is a Hong Kong based company that supplies total plastic solutions to Aerospace, Medical, Electronic, Industrial and Specialty industries. The company focuses especially on Tooling Fabrication and Scientific Plastic Injection Molding of Engineering Grade and Ultra Polymer Resins. They serve European and North American clients to produce small lots customized EMT parts, sensor bodies, metal replacement components with lower total cost and high flexibility. The Western Tool & Mold is also compliant with the Hong Kong Federation of Industries and can export into China Duty Free under the Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in Hong Kong. Online at: http://www.wtmlimited.com
Stratasys Ltd. (Nasdaq: SSYS), headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. and Rehovot, Israel, is a leading global provider of 3D printing and additive manufacturing solutions. The company's patented FDM® and PolyJetTM 3D Printing technologies produce prototypes and manufactured goods directly from 3D CAD files or other 3D content. Systems include 3D printers for idea development, prototyping and direct digital manufacturing. Stratasys subsidiaries include MakerBot and Solidscape, and the company operates the RedEye digital-manufacturing service. Stratasys has more than 1,900 employees, holds over 550 granted or pending additive manufacturing patents globally, and has received more than 25 awards for its technology and leadership. Online at: www.stratasys.com or http://blog.stratasys.com
