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Success at TCT for 3T

Now in its 6th year, the TCT Exhibition and Conference proved to be a major success for 3T RPD Ltd, with their biggest and most adventurous stand yet, with the main focus being a genuine 2001 season Jordan-Honda Formula 1 car.

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3T has been working with the Jordan-Honda Formula 1 Team to squeeze vital days out of the design and production of components for this season's cars. In the technological battle that is international motor racing, products are designed, built and tested to spectacularly demanding schedules.

Mike Stevens, Senior CAM Engineer at Jordan says "During the season 3T RPD probably build around 35 parts a week for us. But when we were developing the 2001 car it might have been as many as 50 or 60. The guys at 3T really did their best to quickly turn parts around for us, and we could be confident that we would get the parts back when we needed them."

Bob Halliwell, Jordan's Production Manager, is equally enthusiastic and adds "The big advantage is that we can go straight from the drawing, to the machine and then onto the car. We are always looking for new materials to bring the car's weight down, and 3T is good because they not only do the job for us, but also think about what we are trying to achieve and come up with suggestions for new materials and new approaches."

Also on display at the Exhibition were giant models of two of Dunlop's latest tennis racquets, both of which were developed using prototypes produced by 3T. The overall development time of the Inferno racquet was reduced from six to just three months, using 3T's latest EOS laser sintering equipment. Within just 4 days of the initial meeting with Dunlop, 3T were able to produce an accurate model of the tennis racquet with the resulting hollow prototype being of comparable weight, enabling Dunlop to carry out market evaluation, cosmetic finishing and decal application.

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3T has evolved rapidly over the last 18 months to become a market leader in Rapid Product Development. Combining over 40 years of experience, the company is run by Tim Plunkett, CEO who brings a wealth of experience in Rapid Prototyping and Tooling.

As the industry develops, what was considered ground-breaking yesterday quickly becomes the norm, and new techniques step in offering further enhancements. The latest development, showcased at the Exhibition for the first time, is as a result of an exclusive partnership with AEA Technology Race Engineering. Using thermal spray coating technologies, 3T are able to increase performance, reliability and efficiency of their already highly functional prototypes using ThermoholdT GP, which protects against the effects of conducted, converted and radiated heat.

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, as the partnering of our Thermohold T GP coating to 3T's amazingly rapid prototypes is a perfect example of how such applied solutions can bring significant advances in material capability."

Tim Plunkett, CEO of 3T, states "Our primary objective is to continually pursue higher levels of functionality. We already run the largest sintering capability in the UK and are extending this into development tooling and the full RPD spectrum, enabling us to support product development programmes from concept to production."

Read the full Jordan Case Study.

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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