GUEST BLOG: IPF Ltd are celebrating their 50th year of manufacturing bespoke plastic parts

As we enter our 50th year since being founded by Bill Bloomfield SNR in 1969, we thought we would reflect on a bit of our History;

In 1969 IPF started to machine and fabricate bespoke plastic components for a wide range of industries. Bill SNR was approached by Eon productions to machine A `Perspex Aquarium bed`, to feature in the James bond film `Diamonds are forever`. Sean Connery and Jill St. John feature in the image lying on the beautifully made Perspex bed below.

One of Bills biggest achievements at the time came in 1976 where IPF were the only company in the UK able to produce an extremely high quality part used for the world’s first brain scanner. IPF went from strength to strength gaining high profile customers ranging from Aston Martin, Monarch aircraft, to The National Heart and Chest Hospital, and The Institute of Child Health… to name a few! He even made a Perspex `Full English` for the largest UK Perspex distributer at the time!

Due to the business’s constant progression, IPF continued to invest to be at the forefront of new technology, and when the 3D Printing industry emerged, IPF invested in the latest high end equipment to start up a 3D Printing bureau, to run alongside its well established machining business, offering the best of cutting edge and traditional technologies.

In 2014 IPF were among the first to own a Polyjet Connex 500 multi-material and colour 3D printer in the UK. IPF have since been involved with a multitude of industries, 3D Printing props for movies, such as the Starlord mask for `Guardians of the Galaxy`, as well as assisting in medical developments with our HP MJF, collaborating with `Prosfit` and their life changing custom made prosthetic sockets, regulated for weight bearing up to 125 kg!

We have since gained even more high-profile customers in the Automotive, Defence, Aerospace, Medical and Movie industries. Due to the sensitive industries that we work with, and the NDA’s in place we cannot specify who, but products that have been professionally and carefully prototyped by us, have featured in some of the latest blockbuster movies, TV advertising, and products that are likely to be being used daily by yourselves; such as smart phones or even wearable technology!

In our 50th year of innovation, we have had breakthroughs in Laser Welding applications for medical manifolds and micro-fluidics, as well as investments into 5-Axis machining for complex shapes and high speed production. Continued developments in CNC Machining, Diffusion Bonding and Fabrication along with extensive high-volume production capabilities now available with our Additive Manufacturing for prototypes and production parts.

The 3D printing and plastic machining industry is forever evolving, and IPF assure its new and long-standing clients, that we will remain devoted to constantly move forward with these exciting advancing technologies, as well as nurture and perfect our 50 years of experience.

Visit Industrial Plastic Fabrications Ltd on stand A31 at Subcon 4-6 June 2019 - register now for free at www.subconshow.co.uk/register

SPEAKER INTERVIEW: Professor Neil Hopkinson

Professor Neil Hopkinson is Director of 3D Printing at Xaar. Professor Hopkinson spent 20 years in academia conducting research in the field of additive manufacturing, before joining Xaar in 2016 to build a 3D Printing business utilising the company’s world leading technology and one of his own inventions, High Speed Sintering.

Neil is talking on the opening day of The Engineer Conference, 1130 on Tuesday 5 June. In this exclusive interview, he explains why a diverse workforce is crucial and why we should pay more attention to Oscar Wilde.

As one of the pioneers of 3D printing in the UK, tell us more about where it can go next, specifically in terms of mainstream manufacturing?

3D printing/additive manufacturing applications are expanding beyond prototyping into a vast range of end use products. The key challenge to wider mainstream adoption of 3D printing for production is the cost to make parts. Higher throughput processes and competitive supply chains will be the key to reducing part cost and the inevitable adoption of 3D printing as another manufacturing tool in the box alongside injection moulding and CNC machining.    

What will delegates take from your presentation at The Engineer Conference? 

I hope that delegates appreciate the immediacy of the opportunity – 3D printing for part production is a field that is moving quickly. Attendance at this event will help delegates understand where the technology does and does not make sense. They should draw inspiration on where and how they can best add value to their organisations through 3D printing.

How important is it for manufacturing to have a diverse workforce and what can industry and/or Government do to help? 

This is huge.  3D printing is re-writing the way we imagine, design, make, deliver and use products.  To maximise the benefits we can collectively draw from this re-defining technology we require a breadth of mindsets from a diverse workforce.

What would you put in Engineering Room 101?

Cynicism. More specifically, cynicism that is based on gut reaction rather than balanced information. In the early days of 3D printing, most people said the technology would only be used for prototyping and never for production. In this field cynics see slow, expensive technology and don’t see the value of the product that comes out; they fail to grasp the potential to create value through differentiated products and services. As Oscar Wilde once observed – a cynic is someone who sees the cost of everything and the value of nothing. 

BOX OUT QUOTE: 3D printing is re-writing the way we imagine, design, make, deliver and use products.  To maximise the benefits we can collectively draw from this re-defining technology we require a breadth of mindsets from a diverse workforce.

ROLLS ROYCE, ROBOTICS, MOTORSPORT, PROSTHETICS AND BLOCKCHAIN SET TO TAKE CENTRE STAGE AT SUBCON THIS SUMMER

We are incredibly excited to announce that Rolls Royce CTO, Paul Stein will present the keynote at Subcon!  His presentation will be just one of the highlights of this year’s programme.  Elsewhere, sessions on digitalisation, robotics, prosthetics, motorsport, Blockchain, smart materials and technology transfer will be delivered by some of the UK’s leading engineers and its most innovative disruptors.

This year’s conference is a three-day, two-theatre, six-stream, 36-session programme showcasing cutting edge innovation and best practice from the worlds of engineering, manufacturing and supply chain management. The programme is free to attend for all Subcon visitors and can be viewed online at http://www.subconshow.co.uk/conference/2018-programme. 

Cross sector collaboration

A key theme of this year’s conference is cross-sector collaboration and technology transfer with Dr Caroline Hargrove, CTO of McLaren Applied Technologies, talking about how technological expertise in motorsport can be spun out into other sectors and BAE Systems’ Dr Henry White showing delegates how technology from the defence sector can be applied to the world of elite sport.

Other programme highlights include cybernetics specialist Nadine Stech, who helped to design Linx, the world’s most intelligent prosthetic limb, and the CTO of Fujitsu UK who will treat visitors to an explanation of Blockchain and how it can be applied to the engineering supply chain. Visitors will also be able to hear about the latest developments in driverless cars from Jaguar Land Rover’s head of autonomous projects Mark Cund.

To register to attend Subcon 2018 please visit www.subconshow.co.uk

Digital manufacturing excellence

On the manufacturing side, the conference programme will cover everything from the practicalities of implementing Industry 4.0 technology to the latest developments in 3D printing, composite materials, and advanced metrology technologies. Highlights here include Xaar’s Professor Neil Hopkinson one of the pioneers of 3D printing in the UK.

“Delegates at my session will learn to appreciate the immediacy of the opportunity of 3D printing for part production - it’s a field that is moving quickly – and understand where the technology does and does not make sense,” he explained. “They should also draw inspiration on where and how they can best add value to their organisations through 3D printing.”

Other key speakers include The AMRC’s head of digital Professor Rab Scott and Professor Dame Jane Jiang – who heads up the EPSRC’s Future Metrology hub at the University of Huddersfield.

In the words of conference director Jon Excell; “We’re really excited about the programme for this year’s conference - we’ve got a great mix of engineering leaders at the forefront of technological change and top academics who are plugging their research into real world, mainstream applications. Over the three days visitors will be able to gain expert insight into some of the big trends that are shaping engineering and manufacturing as well as being able to marvel at some of the UK’s most inspiring and innovative engineering projects.”

To register to attend Subcon 2018 please visit www.subconshow.co.uk

4.WHAT? Is UK manufacturing really ignorant to Industry 4.0 or just blinded by buzzwords?

Subcon research carried out earlier this year seemed to reveal that more than half of UK manufacturing and engineering businesses still don’t know what Industry 4.0 is.

When asked if they understood what Industry 4.0 is, more than one third (37%) answered no. A further 19% admitted they were unsure and less than one quarter were definite they had a handle on the concept.

Ignorance and investment plans?

However, the survey also showed that, even without high levels of confidence in their understanding of Industry 4.0, UK manufacturers and engineering businesses have been investing in the technologies associated with the fourth industrial revolution over the last 12 months, regardless; technologies including simulation, automation, robotics and 3D printing are dominating manufacturing investment plans.

•                46% have invested in simulation and CAD modelling technologies

•                36% have invested in automation and robotics

•                28% have invested in 3D printing

•                23% have invested in cyber-physical systems and the Internet of Things

And, looking ahead to the next year, respondents plan to invest even more with, for example, over a third keen to spend money on automation and robotics; investment that is being driven by the competitive issues of new product development and improving design and production processes.

•                34% plan on investing in automation and robotics

•                27% plan on investing in simulation and modelling

•                24% plan on investing in 3D printing

“This research is fascinating,” commented Subcon event director Gordon Kirk, “because it begs the question, ‘do UK engineering and manufacturing businesses understand the benefits of Industry 4.0 even though the term is proving tricky to grasp?’”

You can view the full survey results at http://www.subconshow.co.uk/visiting/show-news/2018/03/29/ignorance-4.0-uk-manufacturing-and-engineering-competitiveness-at-risk-from-lack-of-knowledge