Protolabs secures JOSCAR accreditation for aerospace and defence

Digital manufacturer, Protolabs, is setting its sights on a multi-million-pound opportunity after securing a prestigious supplier accreditation for the aerospace, security, space and defence industries.

Having supported the sector for several years, Protolabs is now officially recognised as a fully compliant and credible supplier to major businesses within the associated industries.

JOSCAR (Joint Supply Chain Accreditation Register) is valued by many of the largest purchasers in these industries, such as BAE Systems, NATS, Rolls Royce, Airbus and the MoD.

The global accreditation indicates that organisations have successfully gone through an invite-only process that demonstrates commitment, reliability, technical ability and capacity, as well as helping purchasers meet the growing and diverse nature of regulatory requirements when it comes to managing third party risk in the supply chain.

Bjoern Klaas, vice president and managing director of Protolabs Europe, commented: “We are delighted to have achieved JOSCAR accreditation, joining an elite group of global suppliers in the process.

“It is testament to the quality and reliability of our output and our capacity to deliver prototypes and production parts in such a way that is valued by our customers in aerospace, security, space and defence industries.”

He continued: “We take great pride in achieving excellence in this way, whether being at the forefront of innovation or providing a trusted digital manufacturing service to the industrial supply chain.”

Protolabs, which was founded in 1999 and has been established in Europe since 2005, offers leading 3D printing, CNC machining and injection moulding services to design engineers.

Mr Klaas added: “We are already a well-established service provider to the aerospace supply chain, but this accreditation, alongside our ISO 9001 quality award, will further cement our reputation in the wider security and defence industries.

“In addition, we recently became one of the first manufacturers in the EMEA region to achieve DNV certification, bringing new levels of assurance relevant to maritime and offshore industries, as well as the broader defence sector and JOSCAR-associated industries.”

Inconel 718, the DNV-certified 3D printed metal, is a high-strength, corrosion-resistant nickel chromium that hardens with age, making it the ideal choice for fabricating complex parts.

It can be used within extreme hot and cold temperature limits and is founded in numerous components in the aerospace, maritime and defence space.

Protolabs
www.protolabs.co.uk