Quantel, which manufacturers visual effects and editing systems for film and television, has improved turnaround on its prototype production following the acquisition of a Stratasys uPrint SE Plus 3D printer, generating a return on investment within six months of its purchase.

The uPrint SE Plus 3D printer creates quick professional-grade 3D models, prototypes and product mock-ups on-site from a CAD file. The company installed the machine to create article samples for its production systems.

"We selected the Stratasys uPrint SE Plus as it was able to meet the performance requirements we needed at the right price," explains David Throup, group leader at Quantel research department. "Previously, we outsourced our prototyping and it would have taken approximately ten days and cost us hundreds of pounds. The printer creates the same prototypes in just hours – and at a fraction of the cost.