Hangzhou Chihui Electronic Technology Co., Ltd. is a 3D printing service provider for production and manufacturing. The company focuses on providing 3D digital technology application solutions, innovating traditional manufacturing through 3D printing technology and helping customers solve complex challenges with printed products. Its key customers include Interplex and well-known automotive companies. Interplex is a global leader in applying technology to develop complex, customized products and solutions across a continually expanding range of design and production disciplines.
"The 3D printing industry is competitive. We specialize in customized solutions from design to production for some sophisticated customers, and help our customers save on production cost and time. Many traditional 3D printing processes and materials still have limitations, and some of the parts our customers design cannot be produced, or the material performance does not meet their expectations. With 3D Systems’ printers, we can meet our customers’ needs in terms of both forming capacity and material performance. The machining cost for a fixture is between 1000-1500 Yuan (145-215 USD) with a production time of about seven days. With 3D printing, the production cost is about 300-500 Yuan (45-75 USD) and production time is about three days. 3D printing saves our customers a lot of unnecessary costs and allows us to create diversified, customized solutions for our customers."
-Xufeng Zhang，Niko，Account Manager, Hangzhou Chihui Electronic Technology Co.,Ltd
Challenge
Before adopting 3D printing, customers could only produce parts using traditional processes, which required long processing times and could not meet urgent needs.
Chihui needed to produce (1) heat-resistant fixtures; (2) calibration kits for an electron microscope (with accuracy requirements within 0.03mm); and (3) frigostable internal components for a dry ice machine cleaning device that Interplex uses to provide parts to automotive companies.
Solution
3D printers used: Figure 4® Standalone and ProJet® MJP 2500 Plus.
1. Chihui uses 3D Systems Figure 4® Tough 65C Black material, offering excellent impact strength, and Figure 4 HI TEMP 300-AMB material, with high temperature resistance, to print parts for Interplex’s automotive customers.
This fixture is used to position the injection needle into the mold to improve worker safety and production efficiency. The Figure 4 HI TEMP 300-AMB material was selected for this application due to its demonstrated wear resistance. It is used about 1000 times per day (once for needle insertion and removal).
This fixture for needle positioning in Figure 4 HI TEMP 300-AMB material was printed for Interplex.
2. The ProJet MJP 2500 Plus is used to produce calibration parts for electron microscopes with accuracy requirements within 0.03mm. VisiJet® M2S-HT90 is a transparent material with excellent heat resistance, and has been tested and adopted to produce the high precision parts.
Calibration piece for an electron microscope produced with VisiJet M2S-HT90 material
3. This is an internal component for a dry ice machine cleaning unit used to clean automotive injection molds for Interplex. Low-temperature resistance is required for good performance. Customer testing demonstrated that parts printed with Figure 4® Rigid Gray material can resist low temperatures down to -70℃.
Internal component for a dry ice machine printed with Figure 4® Rigid Gray
Results
- Reduced production costs and processing time to speed up production schedule
- Reduced fixture production costs by more than 30 percent
- Reduced production time by more than 40 percent
- Sped up production schedule
- Improved customer satisfaction
