Fi Innovations will receive Australasia’s first 3D steam straightening machine
Kavinda Herath / Tips
Fi Innovations Managing Director Gareth Dykes Says Purchase of First Postpro3d in Australasia is “Big Blow” for Industry [File Photo].
Invercargill-based Fi Innovations is set to receive Australasia’s first Postpro3d, a machine that uses patented chemical steam smoothing technology to produce the smoothest finish currently possible in 3D printing.
Fi Innovations began investing in 3D technology in 2019, and in 2020, was ranked as a critical business during the Covid-19 pandemic due to its ability to manufacture medical products.
Now he’s taking that innovation a step further with a $ 250,000 investment in Postpro3d, which is expected to arrive in mid-November.
Fi Innovations chief executive Gareth Dykes said purchasing the machine would be a game-changer for the manufacturing industry, especially in the aerospace, medical and food markets.
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About 20% of its current production was medical products, which included prosthetics, he said.
Fi Innovations director of advanced manufacturing Derick Manson said the new machine would remove the last existing hurdle for 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, to be used for final manufacturing.
“Rather than prototyping, it now means that there is nothing but cost that is a barrier to final manufacturing,†he said.
“In other words, this is what unlocks additive manufacturing, we have the only one in Australasia means only we can unlock it.”
Fi Innovations / Supplied
The Postpro3d, which will be purchased by Fi Innovations mid-November.
The new machine will allow Fi Innovations to manufacture food grade products with biocompatibility for medical application at the lightest weight possible, he said.
“The holy grail of 3D printing is that everything is as smooth as possible. Because 3D printing is a layering process, there are always steps … this machine does away with that completely.
Being the pioneer of Southland’s cutting edge technology was important to the multigenerational family business.
“We were born and raised. To do that from Invercargill, it’s like… yeah, it would be easier if we moved and moved to Christchurch or something, but there’s no point in Southland, â€Manson said.
“It’s as much about improving our own business ecosystem as it is about anything else. “