R&D Funding for Freeform 3D Printing
We are very pleased to announce that we’ve recently won a significant grant from the Technology Strategy Board under their ‘Smart’ scheme, which will be used to commercially develop Freeform Printing, a unique, large-scale additive manufacturing (AM) technology for architectural and scenic applications.
AM is being used in a range of industries such as automotive and aerospace, however the capability to commercially produce large-scale structural elements for architectural and scenic applications using 3D printing currently does not exist.
Freeform Printing will bring the benefits of AM to the architecture and event sectors and in doing so, will bring us to the forefront of this emerging technology by providing both the know-how and the means to produce large-scale 3D printed structures.
Edwin Stokes, Materials Engineering and R&D Director:
“This grant is great news for Stage One. It enables us to research and develop this exciting technology, which has massive potential for architectural and scenic applications. The grant also provides the opportunity for us to carry out R&D outside of the specific confines of purely commercial projects for the first time.”
The grants allow businesses to explore the technical feasibility and commercial potential of a new technology, product or process; allowing for initial feasibility studies, basic prototyping, specialist testing, intellectual property protection and investigations into production or assembly.