3DPRINTUK Adds More HP 3D Printers & Dedicated MJF Maintenance Team

3D printing service provider 3DPRINTUK, which was acquired by fellow UK company Solid Solutions in 2023, has grown its portfolio of in-house Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) machines from HP. The company has been seeing increased demand for larger batch production jobs with short lead times, and by expanding its total number of MJF 3D printers, 3DPRINTUK can better meet customer needs. Additionally, 3DPRINTUK has added a maintenance team that’s solely dedicated to its HP 5210 Pro 3D printers.

“We’re excited to expand our MJF capabilities with two new machines. This investment allows us to meet customer demands with even greater speed, precision, and flexibility. With these new advanced machines, we can ensure our turnaround commitments, higher precision, and increased production volumes, all while maintaining the exceptional quality our clients expect,” said Nick Allen, Managing Director of 3DPRINTUK. “This investment underscores our commitment to leveraging optimal cutting-edge technology to meet the evolving needs of our customers and drive the future of additive manufacturing forward.”

3DPRINTUK is a leader in on-demand production and prototyping with powder bed fusion (PBF) technology. For over a decade, it has worked to master polymer powder 3D printing, offering short turnaround times for parts with “virtually no layer lines” and no need for supports. After watching HP’s technology develop for several years, the company decided that the MJF platform should be added to its existing expertise in SLS back in 2020, and became the first service bureau in the UK to provide advanced MJF parts. 3DPRINTUK added a third Multi Jet Fusion printer in early 2023, and has now brought that number up to five. The new systems are next to its SLS 3D printers from EOS and DyeMansion post-processing equipment. That’s the beauty of a service bureau: they offer multiple processes and technologies, from design and manufacturing to finishing, to efficiently provide high-quality parts to customers.

However, it’s not a perfect world, and machines do break down from time to time, which is definitely bad for service bureaus and their multiple clients. Machine breakdowns, and thus machine downtime, result in several problems, including production delays that can majorly disrupt project timelines. Not only is this inconvenient for customers who need a continuous supply of consistently high-quality parts on time, but it can also lead to financial losses and longer than normal lead times, which can compromise their market readiness and production schedules. Plus, breakdowns that happen numerous times can negatively affect the consistency and quality of 3D printed parts, and even cause defects.

To ensure this doesn’t happen to its customers, 3DPRINTUK now has a team of three dedicated maintenance engineers just for its MJF suite of systems, all of whom Allen says have “unparalleled experience and knowledge of the systems.”

3DPRINTUK’s expert team of MJF specialists (left to right): Kirby Downey, Oliver Hardy, Stuart
Dye, and Cam Gutteridge.

“This MJF-focused team is in addition to the maintenance team already dedicated to the SLS machines. Having in-house engineers allows us to quickly address any technical issues, reducing reliance on external support and ensuring faster turnaround times,” Allen continued. “This proactive approach not only mitigates downtime but also enhances machine longevity and performance, ensuring our customers receive a reliable, timely service with superior product quality.”

HP’s Multi Jet Fusion technology is good for rapid production of functional prototypes and end-use parts with smooth surfaces, fine details, and consistent mechanical properties. It’s been used for a wide variety of applications, from pickleballs and shoes to parts for drones, the automotive industry, and even wastewater screens for filtration. You can visit the HP Zone on our website to see even more.