Frequently Asked Questions

 Quite simply, Rapid Product Development (RPD) is a process whereby a company utilises techniques and technologies to allow them to develop their product in the shortest timescales possible, whilst reducing development budgets.

3T delivers prototypes using the most up to date Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) technology. Focussing on the high levels of functionality and aesthetics required for the various stages of testing, assembling and marketing when developing a new product and bringing it to the market place.

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) is a very commonly used RP technique, developed by DTM and EOS. The process uses plastic powder to create a 3D model with a laser, thereby skipping the tooling step. The powder is sintered (melted), layer by layer, by a computer-directed heat laser. Additional powder is deposited on top of each solidified layer and again sintered. There is a vast range of materials available for the production of prototypes, and the SLS process provides the most functional rapid prototype available.

Full details of the process are in Our Services.

See the SLS process in action and watch a short presentation explaining the process in our Video Gallery.

We currently have two of the world's largest laser sintering machines, the EOS P700, as well as two EOS P360s and a DTM 2500 Plus, which not only puts us in the enviable position of having total sintering capacity exceeding that found anywhere else in the UK, but also puts in the top 3 worldwide! With capacity to build small batches, an extensive range of finishing techniques and the ability to colour the SLS parts, we can offer a superior alternative to the more traditional routes, in previously unachievable timeframes.

Full specifications of our suite of machinery is available on our SLS Machines page.

The most common materials available are Polyamide PA2200 (Nylon 12) and Glass Filled Polyamide PA3200 (Nylon 12). Each has their own benefits and attributes, and full technical specifications are available on our SLS Materials page.

The best way to send your data is by using our contact form.

We have various CAD/CAM systems in use including PTC Pro/Engineer 2000i2, Delcam PowerMill and ArtCam, Materialise Magics RP and Communicator and Adobe Photoshop 5.0.

We can read many different file types, the most common being .STL and .IGES.

File compression types used include EXE, ZIP, SIT and MGX. If using e-mail to send data, using a compression format reduces the file size by up to 80%.

Full details are available on our data interchange page.

It is important that your data files are compacted to allow them to be successfully e-mailed and quickly downloaded through our server. Files should be zipped before sending. We can accept files up to a size of 10MB. If your files are larger than this, please telephone us first to make appropriate arrangements for them to be accepted through the server.

Generally, from receipt of usable data, we can produce and ship your prototype within 3-5 days. However, we have the capability to turn parts around in 1-2 days, and over the weekend, subject to current workloads and prior agreement, although a premium price may be payable for this service.

The SLS process utilises layer based construction techniques which, whilst offering significant benefits in terms of build speed, have the disadvantage that the surface finish of the component is stepped. From the purely functional aspect this is seldom a problem, however from the aesthetic perspective this frequently requires hand dressing and texturing.

Full details are available on our Finishing page.

Your prototype can either be supplied in its raw state, ie. white, or we can produce it with a permanent surface colouring from a standard range of colours.

Full details are available on our Colour page.