Prototype & Manufacture

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

3D PRINTING

COSMETIC FINISHING

VACUUM CASTING

BATCH MANUFACTURE

PDR is a leading prototyping, 3D printing and rapid, low volume batch manufacturing centre.

PDR has worked with companies from around the world to develop new products with accurate, high quality and rapid part manufacture support.

Our network of international clients allows us to produce thousands of prototypes and mouldings for a wide variety of sectors. This enables the continual development of our processes and knowledge, which lets us produce high quality products.

These low cost additive manufacturing methods are essential for proof of concept and component testing before more significant tooling investment is required.

The speed of manufacturing gives improved timescales for the introduction of the product to market.

PDR has been at the forefront of additive manufacturing for over 20 years

Prototyping & 3D Printing

Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing) has become an essential part of an effective product development process.

There are various methods that can be utilised for prototyping these products, all with unique advantages, ranging from high definition, intricate, one-off components to large format, durable, batch production volumes.

Our highly skilled team is able to advise on the appropriate materials, finishes, design for manufacture considerations and technologies suitable for each individual part.

This knowledge produces the most high fidelity products, which use resins representative of injection moulded production plastics.

• RAPID PROTOTYPING: SLA, PROJET HD 3000PLUS,

• 3D PRINTING

• HAND MODEL MAKING

• FULL COSMETIC FINISHING

• PANTONE & RAL COLOUR MATCHING

• VACUUM CASTING (INCLUDING NYLON VACUUM CASTING)

• INJECTION MOULD TOOL DESIGN & MANUFACTURE

• INTELLIGENT & SMART SYSTEM PROTOTYPING

• INJECTION MOULDING

“In support of a new product development program, the responsiveness and professionalism shown by the PDR team was excellent and allowed Quantificare to achieve the very short time to market requirements”

CEO QUANTIFICARE

Vacuum CastingRapid Manufacture

The high accuracy master patterns from PDR’s 3D Print facilities in combination with silicone tooling allows the manufacture, at low volumes, of production quality parts at negligible tooling cost and within short timescales Where lower volume, higher value parts are required quickly, in volumes from 5 to 1000 units a year, the use of silicone tooled, vacuum cast components can have a significant impact. Materials encompass everything from elastomerics in varying shore hardnesses, to glass filled high impact polyurethanes. Parts are typically used for fit, function testing, as marketing and sales aids for new products and as a low volume production alternative.

Moulding &Batch Manufacture

Any company should have all of the manufacturing options available to it if it is to stay competitive. From simple single cavity tooling in aluminium or soft steels through to multi-cavity high production volume tooling in hardened steel - manufactured just down the road or on the other side of the world. PDR’s experience and expertise encompasses a very wide range of tooling and manufacturing technologies with partnerships and networks across the UK and the Far East. With a deep understanding of the advantages, disadvantages and costs against geometry, complexity and volumes, PDR is able to advise, support and manage the tooling and supply to ensure the most cost effective manufacturing for your company is utilised.

Intelligent & Interactive Prototyping

Informed through world renowned research, PDR has developed specialised prototyping techniques that enable functional interactive prototypes to be created much earlier in the design process than has been traditionally possible.

Employing these tools and techniques minimises risk and maximises the ability to make informed design decisions based on interactive testing and analysis - from ‘quick and dirty’ interactive sketch models through to high fidelity ‘proof of concept’ prototypes.

With more and more products becoming “smart”, having interfaces based on tablets or smartphones, and the utilisation of cloud based services, intelligent and interactive prototyping skills have become more essential than ever before. Used in conjunction with our workshop capabilities in 3D printing and physical prototyping lifelike replicas of even the most intelligent of systems can be rapidly developed for formative usability testing without the commitments of production software or electronics prior to a design being proven.

Clients include:

“An excellent service, very proactive and supportive. Very pleased with the quality of work and creative input.”

COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR GLOBAL TRADING COMPANY

“The quality of finished product produced by PDR using vacuum casting technology, allows Magstim to produce low volume assemblies as direct end-user production components”

MECHANICAL DESIGN ENGINEER - MAGSTIM

PDRCardiff Metropolitan UniversityCardiff, United KingdomCF5 2YB

Tel: +44 (0) 29 2041 6725Fax: +44 (0) 29 2041 6973Email: info@pdronline.co.ukWeb: www.pdronline.co.uk