Queen’s Award winner Proto Labs to make MACH debut

First Cut enables customers to make fully functional prototypes early in the development cycle, in low volumes (usually from 1 to 10), in production-intent materials, including an array of thermoplastic resins and aluminium, allowing initial form, fit and functional testing to take place. The Protomold service takes development to the next stage with production-intent material prototypes and parts in volumes that would normally be prohibitively expensive using traditional injection-moulding processes. By using First Cut and Protomold services together, companies can use the same 3D CAD model from design concept to pre-production and make significant time and cost savings in the development of new products. "Proto Labs helps companies to develop and launch new and improved products faster. Parts made by First Cut and Protomold provide designers and engineers with prototypes and short-run production quantities that embody the appearance and the mechanical properties of the final, full production version. Because none of the traditional additive RP processes can offer this, companies using our services in their product development stage have gained a huge lead over their competitors," says Damian Hennessey, the company's commercial manager. Proto Labs was recently awarded a prestigious Queen's Award for Enterprise in the International Trade category.