Balea Streamlines prototyping process with in-house 3D printing.

Printing engineering-grade prototypes.

Using its F170 3D printer, the Balea team predominantly produces parts using Stratasys’ production-grade ASA thermoplastic. The material’s resilience allows for functional tests to be performed and its non-conductive properties make it fully compatible with the electronic devices they produce. 

Additionally, the ASA material provides a surface fi nish that meets Belea’s high standards — so much so that the team even used it to manufacture a model to exhibit at an industry event. “Our team wanted to unveil a new trolley and weight system during a key presentation at an important tradeshow. Stratasys 3D printing technology enabled us to design and manufacture a new model with 3D printed end-use parts. We were able to make four or five iterations of the design to get a perfect product and still had plenty of time to spare going into the event.”

Welcoming a new, flexible approach.

Now with more design freedom, quicker turnaround times and the ability to iterate customised solutions for clients at a lower cost, the integration of 3D printing has completely transformed Belea’s way of doing business. 

According to Max Mestre, R&D Office Manager at Balea, “Not only would we have to wait as long as between three to six months from start to finish, subcontracting parts through a third-party supplier would have typically cost us 20,000 euros per prototype. On top of that, we were constrained in that any design changes would necessitate an entirely new mould and would have cost us another 20,000 euros — effectively eliminating that as an option.”