Base Materials is turning to large-format 3D printing for tooling and prototype manufacturing

The British materials specialist Base Materials is adding a large-format 3D printing service to its portfolio, which is intended to partially replace conventional CNC-machined tooling boards in model and mold making. The aim is to provide large master models and tools more quickly, with less material usage and reduced manual post-processing. According to the company’s internal tests, material waste can be reduced by up to 58 percent and lead times by up to 70 percent.

At the core of the new offering is ProXtrude, a specially formulated, paste-like printing material. The paste is built up layer by layer into large-format, almost net-shaped blanks in a robot-assisted cell. The build volume of the system is 6 × 2 × 2.5 metres, clearly targeting applications in large tooling, jigs and design models. ProXtrude is designed for structural strength, thermal stability and dimensional accuracy so that the printed blanks can withstand the thermal and mechanical loads encountered in toolmaking.

The parts produced in this way are manufactured at the plant in Birmingham and can include complex geometries such as hollow structures, thin-walled contours and pronounced overhangs. According to Base Materials, the printed blanks achieve a surface quality that typically requires only around 10 millimetres of CNC finishing to meet final tolerances and visual requirements. This final machining can take place either at the customer’s facility or at their preferred machining partner, meaning the process can be integrated into existing production chains.

John Miller, Managing Director of Base Materials, commented: “This investment marks a significant milestone for Base Materials. Our large-format 3D printing service combines material innovation with digital manufacturing to deliver faster, cleaner and more efficient tooling solutions. With the ability to print complex, full-scale models in a single piece – and do so using our new ProXtrude®, high-performance printable paste system – we’re helping our customers embrace new levels of design freedom and speed.

“We see this as a pivotal innovation for industries where the demands for lightweighting, rapid prototyping and reduced material waste to support ESG commitments are growing every year. By offering precision additive manufacturing in addition to traditional tooling methods, we’re not only pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in tooling design but also supporting manufacturers in their innovation journey.”

The entire 3D printing process is supported by a technical team from the company, which assists customers from data preparation through to part design. In parallel, Base Materials also offers the ProXtrude paste system separately, so that companies with their own large-format 3D printing infrastructure can use the material in existing cells. This gives users in tooling and prototype manufacturing an additional option for selectively integrating additive manufacturing into conventional production processes.