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3T are hotting up the stakes in RP!

3T RPD Ltd has launched a revolutionary new capability, bringing together rapid prototyping techniques and thermal spray coating technologies, to further enhance the functionality of prototypes.

Resulting from an exclusive partnership with AEA Technology Race Engineering, based in Oxfordshire, 3T are able to increase performance, reliability and efficiency of their already highly functional prototypes using ThermoholdT GP, thus enabling them to protect against the effects of conducted, converted and radiated heat.

3T's work with some of the major F1 teams has already resulted in components being taken straight from the drawing, to the machine and onto the car in spectacularly demanding timescales. Now, by teaming up with AEA to add a protective coating, the thermal resistance of these parts can be enhanced still further.

The high performance ceramic thermal barrier coating can be applied to both laser sintered nylon and glass filled materials. The material has an extremely poor ability to conduct heat and as such acts as a protective skin to the substrate. Coatings have also been applied to metal, carbon fibre and cylinder head components. The full capability of these coated parts is yet to be realised, however early tests show a significant improvement.

Tim Plunkett, CEO of 3T, says "We are continuing to push the boundaries of possibilities even further in this ever-changing industry - what was considered ground-breaking yesterday quickly becomes the norm, and new techniques step in offering further enhancements. We are extremely pleased to be working with AEA and see this as a major step forward in meeting our customer's specific needs."

Peter Jackson, Group Sales Manager of AEA, adds "There are many untapped innovative applications where our thermal barrier surface coatings can further enhance the performance, reliability and functionality of what are already cutting-edge material technologies. We are therefore delighted to be working with 3T RPD, as the partnering of our ThermoholdT GP coating to 3T's amazingly rapid prototypes is a perfect example of how such applied solutions can bring significant advances in material capability".

Degradation of an uncoated component after 35 seconds	Signficantly improved results on  a coated part after similar timespan
Comparison of Components after test complete
Coated | Front View | Uncoated	Coated | Rear View | Uncoated

Full details of our processes are available on the Finishing and Colouring pages.

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3T RPD LTD
Fulton Court, Wofford Way, New Greenham Park, Newbury, Berkshire, RG19 6HD, UK
Telephone: +44 (0)1635 580284 | Fax: +44 (0)1635 569857 | E-mail: post@3trpd.co.uk