It's all about the smoothness

Following the recent unveiling of our ProX 800 SLA resin printer at fi innovations, we thought we’d share some insider info on stereolithography, a.k.a. SLA 3D printing. Check out these five tips to understand how you can integrate this technology into your R&D and dramatically reduce your time to market.

We've been creating production parts and prototypes in our 3D Systems ProX SLS 6100 machine for a while now, servicing clients in the aerospace, medical, and other industries.

Along the way we've learnt a lot, identified a few common misconceptions, and uncovered some little tricks that we thought you would like to know. So, please read on for "Six things you need to know about SLS printing".

We had the opportunity to work with Calm Pipe recently. Calm Pipe has undertaken years of work, consulting with their community, industry advisors, clinical aromatherapists and engineers to create a natural experience with health benefits. They have developed a product that is not only innovative, but also beautiful to look at.

Often confused with the resin-based SLA printing process, DLP printing on the Figure-4 Standalone machine has its own unique set of benefits and limitations. So you’re aware of how you can best use this machine for prototyping or production, we’ve put together five key points about DLP printing.

It's all about the smoothness

We had the opportunity to work with Calm Pipe recently. Calm Pipe has undertaken years of work, consulting with their community, industry advisors, clinical aromatherapists and engineers to create a natural experience with health benefits. They have developed a product that is not only innovative, but also beautiful to look at.

It's all about the smoothness

Here is Derek on-site scanning an internationally-sourced casting during a condition inspection. In under 5 hours, we 3D-scanned 25 of these anode mounts, checking for tolerance conformity.

Have you tried out the new Hydroslide at Splash Palace yet?

fi innovations were stoked to assist Ian Coombes Ltd and Amalgamated Builders Ltd with the construction and flooring for this new recreation facility.

The fi innovations team has been busy refurbishing community, school and private swimming pools around Southland and Otago. In addition to re-lining eight concrete pools over the past two years, we have carried out repairs, sealed expansion joints, installed fibreglass accessories and laid changing room floors at many other pools.

Infusion confusion?

Have you ever wondered how we do it? How we make high-tech carbon fibre parts?

We have lift-off!

The Sputnik playground from Te Anau’s waterfront has been refurbished by fi innovations.

This play equipment, with its eye-catching giant red ‘satellite’ balls, yellow tunnels and blue frames, has been a long-time favourite with children.

Hand basins as industrial art? A digger bucket for the guys. Hard-hat basins for the ladies. Fantastic!

That’s awesome – just what you need at a digger park!

Real Journeys staff brought two wooden lifeboats from the historic steamship, “Earnslaw”, down to our Invercargill workshop this winter, with the instructions “Please give them a spruce up”.

fi innovations recently completed cowling design and fabrication for a modified aircraft – a challenge that staff enjoyed tackling.

We worked with Bill Sutherland to decide on a composite lay-up which achieved the desired rigidity and weight.

Praise showered on fi innovations by Real Journeys for our craftsmanship.

We refurbished over 30 shower cubicles on their big “Milford Mariner” tourist boat.

We recently made two more full-carbon snare drum shells for Peter Robertson, who owns Hunter Custom Drums.

Peter was buzzing about the prototype drum that we had infused earlier.

Branxholme, just north of Invercargill, saw lots of contractor activity recently as part of the Invercargill City Council’s $11.5m upgrade of the city’s water treatment plant. ICC tasked fi innovations with the manufacture and installation of double linings inside both their alum tanks. These double linings provide environmental protection in the event of an earthquake or other mishap.

The Oyster Boat sculpture in Bluff’s main street was tired and in desperate need of a complete overhaul.

Sheep milk production is one of the activities at Blue River Dairy’s Invercargill factory.

Their company takes a break over Christmas, so they asked fi innovations to do some mid-season upgrades.

The fi innovations team has been busy refurbishing community, school and private swimming pools around Southland and Otago. In addition to re-lining eight concrete pools over the past two years, we have carried out repairs, sealed expansion joints, installed fibreglass accessories and laid changing room floors at many other pools.

Sheep milk production is one of the activities at Blue River Dairy’s Invercargill factory.

Their company takes a break over Christmas, so they asked fi innovations to do some mid-season upgrades.

It's all about the smoothness

Real Journeys staff brought two wooden lifeboats from the historic steamship, “Earnslaw”, down to our Invercargill workshop this winter, with the instructions “Please give them a spruce up”.

Praise showered on fi innovations by Real Journeys for our craftsmanship.

We refurbished over 30 shower cubicles on their big “Milford Mariner” tourist boat.

When a bloke drops off a huge slab of wood and asks for a river table, you don’t argue. You just knuckle down and tackle the project.

Stunning river stone tabletops, destined for the Rees Hotel in Queenstown, were painstakingly crafted at fi innovations’ workshop in Invercargill.

The results are very impressive.

If you’re out at Fonterra's huge milk products factory in Edendale, keep an eye out for the bright yellow urethane pads in the truck bay.

When a bloke drops off a huge slab of wood and asks for a river table, you don’t argue. You just knuckle down and tackle the project.

Stunning river stone tabletops, destined for the Rees Hotel in Queenstown, were painstakingly crafted at fi innovations’ workshop in Invercargill.

The results are very impressive.

Rhino ‘Tuff Stuff’, an ultra-tough urethane coating, is bonded directly to the ute deck. This effectively eliminates the major downfall of ‘drop-in’ plastic liners - moisture getting in behind the liner and causing rust.

The Oyster Boat sculpture in Bluff’s main street was tired and in desperate need of a complete overhaul.

Wow, the Stabicraft 2750 is an amazing boat.

We have a steady stream of new Stabicraft boats coming through for foam filling. Brent currently processes about 10 per week, but this is set to increase as their factory ramps up production.

It's all about the smoothness