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Dedicated CAD & CAM Station Provides Design Insight and Sample Production

February 02, 2018

Counterplas have invested in the latest Rhino version 5 software, widely acclaimed as the world’s most robust 3-D development platform for specialty modelling, rendering, analysis, and fabrication tools.

Once the detailed 3-D design is finalised, an integral CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing) module can then be used for several purposes:

• To produce a 3-D Printed model
• To mill a prototype out of solid plastic, wood or aluminium.
• To produce an aluminium mould tool that can produce multiple prototype mouldings.

Rhino can create, edit, analyse, document, render and animate projects, even if the starting point is a simple sketch or concept. Objects created can be extremely realistic, even surface textures, highlights and transparency levels being manipulated.

Dedicated work station with high resolution graphics is manned by two fully trained operators that can fine tune models to a customer’s exact requirements. Once the 3-D design is finalised, an integral CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing) module can then be used for several purposes:

• To produce a 3-D Printed model
• To mill a prototype out of solid plastic, wood or aluminium.
• To produce an aluminium mould tool that can produce multiple prototype mouldings.

The ‘in-house’ milling station can handle raw material measuring a full metre square, and can produce very fine levels of resolution and surface finish.

The company’s Operations Manager Paul Conway commented, “This cutting- edge investment allows us to quickly convert a client’s concept into a visually accurate representation of the new product. We can then develop and enhance this design ‘avatar’, before directly converting it into a physical component, or a production tool that can produce multiple prototype parts.”