Plastic and metal prototype manufacturer 1zu1 Prototypen (1zu1, Dornbirn / Austria; www.1zu1.eu) is expanding its production capacity. The company, which specialises in prototype and small series production, has invested EUR 1.5m in four laser sintering and stereolithography units and an injection moulding machine.

With an investment of approximately EUR 1m, the company will be bringing four 3D printers into operation. These include two EOS “P110 Velocis” laser sintering machines. Alongside these is an HP system which operates the "Multi Jet Fusion" (MJF) process – an HP “Jet Fusion 3D 4200” – which is a sintering process without a laser. The fourth system is 3D-Systems’ “ProX 800” which uses the stereolithography method and is capable of manufacturing parts with a diagonal length of just under 1 m. Alongside these, the company will be commissioning an all-electric injection moulding machine with a clamping force of 1,600 kN from Sumitomo (SHI) Demag.

The Austrian company uses the additive manufacturing processes of laser sintering, stereolithography and fused deposition modelling. Vacuum and metal casting are also used, and 1zu1 produces injection-moulded parts in aluminium moulds – also in a cleanroom if required. Around 180 employees generate sales of some EUR 19m.