APF - ADVANCED PROTOTYPING FACILITY

The Advanced Prototyping Facility project is provided by Aston University to assist businesses improve awareness of the opportunities available through additive manufacture (3D Printing) to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of existing designs and to develop new products all the way through to producing prototypes.

The project brings together 3D printing methods such as

VAT Polymerisation (SLA,DLP,CDLP)

Material Extrusion (FDM,FFF,CFM)

Binder Jetting (BJ)

Material Jetting (MJ,NPJ,DOD)

Powder Bed Fusion (MJF,SLS,DMLS,SLM,EBM)

Direct Energy Deposition (LENS,EBAM)

Sheet Lamination (LOM)

Allowing for additive manufacture in a wide range of polymers, plastics, ceramics and metals.

All this combined with a team of experts and academics that can help improve designs and create designs for manufacture

This project is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund [1] and as such is bound by Minimum Financial Assistance (MFA)[2] rules, regulations and eligibility criteria, and is available to SMEs in the Shropshire region.

[1] The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. For more information, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus

[2] Non financial assistance will be considered a subsidy where it satisfies all four of the ‘limbs’ of the test contained in the Subsidy Control Act 2022. Details of the Subsidy control act can be found Subsidy Control Act 2022 (legislation.gov.uk).

APF - ADVANCED PROTOTYPING FACILITY

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