MGS Technical Plastics invests £60,000 in 3D printing and measuring technology

MGS Technical Plastics has invested £60,000 upgrading its speciality engineering equipment, with the purchase of new metrology technology and a high-grade 3D printer.

The Blackburn-based plastic injection moulder’s investments include a FARO Edge ScanArm HD for measuring components and a Cube Pro Trio 3D printer, both of which the company says will allow in to improve quality and design processes.

“We are always looking for ways to improve the quality of our work,” explained MGS’ Managing Director, Neil Garrity.

“This is another set of serious investments we've made and another demonstration of our desire to work to the highest level of quality. Neither of these purchases are essential to our processes, they are both added extras because we intend to be the best in the industry."

The £50,000 FARO Edge ScanArm HD will improve the quality and value of initial sample inspection reports for customers, says MGS. The machinery measures 3D objects, plotting coordinates where it touches them. It is used for assessing the external and internal dimensions of tooling and component to a very high degree of accuracy.

"It's intuitive, accurate and it is also portable, meaning components already in use can be measured. The machinery is a favourite among big, specialist moulders, so the fact that we have invested in the kit demonstrates we're committed to offering the very best quality,” Garrity added.

The Cube Pro Trio 3D printer, on the other hand, allows customers to ‘feel' products in advance of full production.

“Design is one of the most crucial parts of the process, not something that should be rushed. By using a 3D printer, customers are able to see and hold the designs in their hand. It gives peace of mind, and ensures that any mistakes are discovered before the expensive tooling phase,” continued Garrity. 

The models made are full-size, a task which had previously been outsourced to subcontractors.

The latest investments at MGS follow a £2million relocation in 2013 and a recruitment drive across all departments.