3D Creation

3D Creation Lab

Ben Bartholomew,
CEO

Web-to-Prototype – 3D Creation
Lab pioneers a new service with

Objet Alaris30

In the teeth of a recession, it takes a pioneering spirit and a long-term vision to start a new business and leave the safety net of an established company founded by your family. Such is his belief in the latest Objet prototyping technologies, and their potential to reach an entirely new class of user, that Ben Bartholomew decided to follow his beliefs irrespective of the world economy.

Early in 2009, he established 3D Creation Lab in Bristol, UK, with a small office, an Objet AlarisTM30 3D printer and a well thought out strategy.“My inspiration came from the surroundings and their heritage”, states Ben. “In the thirteenth century Bristol was a hub for early explorers who left to find trade routes to the East Indies. This pioneering

spirit continued throughout the industrial revolution when a focus on engineering created such icons as the Clifton suspension bridge and SS Great Britain.”

“Web-to-Prototype” has no geographic boundaries

By its location and the City’s heritage, 3D Creation Lab has a readymade market for rapid prototypes from local aerospace, medical and automotive companies. These are obviously key to its future. But there is a whole raft of other potential customers that Ben sees as his target. “3D printing is revolutionising product development cycles and model creation,” he confirms.

“It is faster and less expensive than other forms of rapid prototyping and 3D Creation Lab will make these benefits much more accessible with a Web-to-Prototype (WtP) service, which is not only fast, efficient and cost effective but also has no geographic boundaries.”

Speed, quality and reliability

3D Creation Lab’s impressive array of production samples is testament to the early success of Ben’s philosophy. “Our very first job was an architectural model. The file was received at 15.00 one afternoon and the finished goods were dispatched the next morning. This reflects the three pillars to our Web-to-Prototype service: speed, quality and reliability.”

Ben confirms that he chose the Objet Alaris30 for exactly these attributes. “Firstly, the Alaris30 is highly productive due to its fast printing speed and build volume of 300 x 200 x 150mm. This means that most models can be built with the shortest dimension upwards, saving time and money. Alternatively, several small parts can be built simultaneously, using the intelligent onboard software to work out the best way to arrange them on the tray.”

Quality was also a major consideration both from a customer satisfaction standpoint and to comply with Ben’s intrinsic focus on accuracy, developed throughout his career. He has a degree in mechanical engineering and worked several years at Renishaw, a company selling metrology solutions. This was followed by taking a key position in TJ Wire Erosion, renowned for its production of precision parts using Swiss machinery.

Alaris30 quality has delivered 100% satisfaction to date

The Alaris30 is based on Objet’s proven Polyjet™ Photopolymer Technology to create true-to-life parts of any kind with superb accuracy. It uses a 28-micron layer size, which builds products with smooth surfaces, complex geometries, small moving elements and fine details. “Alaris30 produces the best quality 3D printing as it uses nearly three times as many build layers as competitive solutions. We have access to these alternative technologies, but so far Alaris30 quality has more than resounded with our customers – 100% satisfaction to date.”

Ben also finds the flexibility offered by Alaris30 build volume important for his bold move as a business start-up. “The Alaris30 is our strategic stepping stone to the future. It’s easily the most accurate 3D Printer on the market and that’s what we need for a customer base that has diverse requirements and a very broad geographic coverage. Our promise will be to deliver the most appropriate prototype within a very short timescale anywhere in Europe and, couriers permitting, the world.

Right-first-time output of difficult features such as narrow walls and
smooth surfaces

“In five years time we want to offer the widest range of prototyping and rapid manufacturing available over the web. To do this, every job needs to be right first time. And that means seamless operation from accurate interpretation of the 3D file, through fast build to the correct output of difficult features such as narrow walls and smooth surfaces.”

Lastly, reliability is the catalyst that makes 3D Creation Lab’s strategy possible. “When you offer a faster turnaround to a customer in Germany than he can get down the road, you need to be sure that your equipment is ‘bullet proof’. We set the Alaris30 printing over night and despatch perfect parts the next day. There has only been one small problem since installation which was solved in an hour - the response from the Objet team and their agent, HK Technologies was superb.”

Ben models his business on a similar level of customer service to that provided by the Alaris, using the 3D Creation Lab website as a friendly Web-to-Prototype interface that helps his customers understand the process, upload files and even self-calculate the price. “If you make life easy for your visitors, the web is the modern equivalent to discovering new trade routes. Our strategy depends on an efficient and easy-to-use website which gives us access to a wide variety of customers from anywhere in the world.”