BAE Systems Samlesbury gets UK’s first Stratasys F3300 FDM 3D printer

Laser Lines has sold the first two Stratasys F3300 Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) 3D printers – the first installation in the UK – to BAE Systems for its Samlesbury site in the UK.

The Stratasys F3300 employs new technology that provides a step change in print speed compared to other FDM printers. These advancements enable printing at rates up to twice those of current high-production FDM systems. This means users can produce up to twice the number of parts in the same time span, depending on part geometry.

The investment in the Stratasys F3300 additive manufacturing machines marks a significant milestone, as these are the first two machines to be sold in the UK.

The F3300 is designed to deliver superior results in FDM, having increased part strength, higher throughput, enhanced machine reliability, and improved traceability, while enabling users to print parts in multiple colours and resolutions. These advances, together with the large build volume, makes the F3300 the ideal choice for production and high-end prototyping in the aerospace, automotive and defence industries.

Mark Tyrtania, sales director at Laser Lines, commented: ‘We have been working with BAE Systems for over 15 years supplying Stratasys Additive Manufacturing hardware and software. We are always looking for the best technologies and solutions for BAE Systems’ manufacturing needs. The formation of the FalconWorks business within BAE Systems has only improved things – with active encouragement to test and explore new solutions with pace and with an open mind.

Steven Barnes, additive manufacturing lead for BAE Systems Air sector added: “As a business we are constantly looking for ways to improve the way we do things. Additive manufacturing is revolutionary in that sense. It opens up potential in all sorts of ways. It allows us to rapidly prototype new parts, adapt our production capacities to different volumes and products more easily and in the support of platforms across the world, we can stand ready to produce one-off spares at the touch of a button. All of those possibilities are transforming the way we can approach design, manufacturing and support.”

The machines form part of BAE Systems’ broader strategy to drive production improvements and reduce costs and time to market across the company’s Air sector products.

Laser Lines
www.laserlines.co.uk