The British contract manufacturer AMufacture has expanded its production infrastructure in the field of industrial 3D printing, responding to growing demand for scalable additive manufacturing. At its Portsmouth site, the company presented its expanded design and printing services, which increasingly rely on automated processes and are intended to enable continuous serial production.
At the heart of the investment is the integration of multiple HP Multi Jet Fusion systems with automatic material changeover, along with robotic part handling. This combination is intended to reduce downtime and ensure consistent utilization of the equipment.
CEO Craig Pyser said: “This capability is so advanced that we were among the first in the world to implement it – previously, only one machine in Sweden had similar capability. It allows us to maintain continuous production and gives us a genuine competitive advantage. Considering our location in Portsmouth, at the heart of a defence and security cluster of businesses that work in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence, we were not surprised at the interest from defence industry suppliers. This area has significant drone manufacturing and there is a growing market for 3D-printed UAV parts, thanks to advancements in additive manufacturing technologies and the need for lightweight and complex drone components.”
Overall, AMufacture now operates five MJF systems, including several 5620-series machines as well as a 5420 machine for white parts, which is also used for external manufacturing orders. In addition, FDM capacity for high-temperature materials is available, which can be used, among other things, in aerospace applications. A dedicated post-processing environment for dyeing, vapor smoothing, and the insertion of metal inserts rounds out the offering.
During an open factory tour, the company showcased its expanded capabilities to customers and partners from the UK and Europe. Interest from the defense industry was particularly strong. According to Pyser, regional proximity to security-relevant industries plays a role, as does the growing demand for lightweight and complex components for unmanned systems.
Operationally, AMufacture also emphasizes flexibility. COO Will Howden pointed to processes for integrating inserts as well as part segmentation and joining techniques for large-format components. Industry representatives praised the technology-agnostic approach, in which MJF, FDM, or other processes are selected depending on the application. The latest investments, supported by private growth capital, are intended to secure this strategy in the long term.
“AMufacture is not trying to solve every problem with one technology. They understand additive manufacturing is another tool in the toolbox – and like any skilled manufacturer, you need the right tool for the right job. Whether it’s FDM, SLA or MJF, they match the capability to what their customers actually need. That means they can offer the correct solution to each problem, rather than forcing a solution that doesn’t quite fit. That’s honest manufacturing and the technology and the approach on show today was impressive.”
Jon Porter said: “AMufacture have understood the technology in every detail and all its capabilities. Bigger parts, white parts, smooth parts and they’re scaling around it. We’re delighted to be partnering with them to develop 3D printing capability which is supporting the company’s growth.”
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