A new rapid prototyping capability at CORE Consulting will allow the engineering company to provide manufacturers with models of potential products more quickly.
CORE, 163 Green Bay Road in Thiensville, uses Computer Assisted Design to design the part, then creates a 3D model of the image using its new PolyJet printer. The PolyJet equipment layers UV-cured acrylic or gel to create a model part, said Jesse Daily, managing partner at CORE.
The part is formed to precise specifications and comes out of the printer in functional condition so a manufacturer can test its effectiveness.
“Mainly it’s to qualify the design before building the tooling because tooling is a significant investment,” Daily said. “(Clients will) make a prototype to make sure it looks and feels and acts how they expect it to.”
Previously, CORE outsourced its model production to another company and orders took much longer, Daily said. The new PolyJet printer can make models up to 12x8x6 in size.
“Before it was two to three days, now we can get them in less than 24 hours,” he said. “We’ve got it in house, it’s a more accurate build than we had in the past and it’s a fairly new technology.”
Daily declined to disclose the amount of the investment. He decided to purchase the technology because the rapidly growing company, which also offers technical training, recruiting and outsourced engineering and design, was receiving so many orders for prototypes
CORE was founded in 2007 and has 65 employees. Daily expects about $3.4 million in revenue this year.
The company will host an open house from 3 to 6 p.m. on August 3 at its Thiensville location to demonstrate the technology.
