“I’d say Markforged’s 3D printing platform for composite materials was the first technology to guarantee the production of components with the appropriate mechanical properties for our machines. The high precision of the 3D printed parts and being able to share models easily, make Markforged a tool every designer in a technical office should use.” Lorenzo Montaguti, Founder and General Manager, McService
The Customer
McService, a fast-growing company, was established in 2007 as a technical office. With innovation being its driving force, the company delivers inventive solutions and a competitive edge to its customers by investing in automation and new technologies.
The company offers two main lines of service: comprehensive support for technical offices in the design phase, and turnkey solutions for automation and industrial production, with varying degrees of complexity.
The Challenge
McService designs automation systems in-house, outsources the manufacturing of the mechanical components, then proceeds with system assembly and final testing.
Increasingly, specific customer needs require a prompt, flexible response. Gaining control over production time and costs gives this flexibility.
In 2019, Lorenzo, General Manager of McService, met Markforged at a trade fair and immediately saw the potential for manufacturing final components for the company’s machinery in-house, streamlining the production process.
The Solution
McService prides itself on being a trustworthy company and expects the same of its partners. “We partnered with Markforged to manage the production of high-performance finished components without needing to invest in specialized technical personnel, seamlessly bridging design and production,” explains Lorenzo Montaguti.
The initial idea was to bring previously outsourced stages of production, back in-house.
The first 3D printed items were templates and fixtures for automated machines, followed by bespoke components for highly customized machinery.
“The X7 printer meets all our requirements,” continues Lorenzo, “and part after part we’ve become more and more familiar with continuous fiber reinforcement, discovering more of its benefits as we go.”
Many of McService’s components, previously made of metal, are now produced with carbon fiber reinforcement, offering superior mechanical properties. Utilizing this plastic material and additive technology also enables optimal solutions for ergonomics and customer requirements, and expands design possibilities. In addition, production time has been significantly reduced, and components are more cost-effective, making the company more competitive.
“In addition to the time and cost savings, and streamlining the supply chain, the printer lets you be more creative and designers can explore new solutions. The ability to quickly test and validate parts inspires you to develop innovative products as the process becomes more straightforward, and we can guarantee the greatest efficiency for the end customer” adds Lorenzo.
And he concludes: “In some technically critical situations, thanks to Markforged technology we were able to provide a quick, cost-effective response. The finished solution was designed and printed in just a few hours, compared to the days that would have been required using traditional manufacturing processes, with supplier lead times that we obviously can’t control. Design is also more streamlined as we can make multiple versions of the same part and immediately evaluate the best option.
The Future
Over time, McService has acquired design-for-additive skills, freeing itself from traditional constraints and optimizing parts for production with CFR technology.
Having control over the entire process means more focus on the details. Streamlining printing to benefit the functionality and aesthetics of the part is now an integral part of McService’s design, and the company continues to make progress along these lines every day.
Lorenzo explains his vision of the future: “The future is pushing us to make ever greater investments in new design skills, freeing us from the constraints imposed by traditional manufacturing processes, so we can make parts that are not only functionally superior but also aesthetically pleasing. This enables McService to increase its production volume of additive components, while maintaining high and consistent quality standards, with the aim of expanding its fleet of Markforged printers.”
Conclusion
The mechanical manufacturing industry has high standards and this market constantly demands highly customized solutions to integrate and automate production lines. Not having customized machines on your production line makes companies absolutely inefficient so it’s impossible to be really competitive on the global market. McService designs and builds ad hoc production islands to detailed customer specifications. Turnkey, technical support or research and design, McService has just the right solution for your company and with Markforged that solution is available, now.
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