Mantle Metal 3D Printing

Spectrum Plastics Group, a DuPont Business (“Spectrum”), a global solutions provider for development through scaled manufacturing of critical polymer-based components and devices for medical and other demanding markets, has just announced an investment in advanced metal 3D printing capabilities with Mantle. Mantle’s precision metal 3D printing technology is revolutionizing tooling component production by reducing the time and cost to produce high-quality tools, molds, and dies. With quick iterations and speed to market being critical factors in medical device development, this investment allows Spectrum to be a one stop shop for customers, allowing them to iterate product development faster and more efficiently. Spectrum now serves as a partner that can assist in all aspects of product development from concept to full production with the speed and accuracy required for the medical device industry.

The new equipment is located in Spectrum's Minneapolis location, where Spectrum's team has conducted trials and integrated Mantle's capabilities. This investment supports the company’s strategic expansion into mold making and prototyping, enhancing the current services and offerings for injection molding applications. Mantle will enable prototype tools faster rather than the printer being used to print prototype end-use parts for your customers. Using this Mantle Metal 3D Printing technology will allow Spectrum to improve lead times and faster production cycles and time to market. Prototype tooling capabilities are greatly enhanced with the Mantle technology, allowing Spectrum to participate at the ground floor of a new technology. Mantle also enables molding processes that incorporate conformal cooling channels to improve mold performance and reduce cycle times. Mantle’s technology delivers the accuracy, surface finish, and tool steel properties required for demanding tooling applications, by printing tools in popular, well-established tooling materials like actual H13 tool steel. Mantle’s metal 3D printing technology is suitable for production, bridge tooling, and prototype tooling offering improved lead times and cost savings.

“Time to market is our top priority, delivering functional prototype tooling into the hands of all stakeholders as soon as possible, which allows for more informed design-making and shorter time to market. Our lead times can be as short as 4-weeks,” said Steve Yeager, Senior Program Manager for Spectrum. “Customers find it beneficial to reach out to us in their early-stage development because Spectrum is a one-stop solutions provider. We provide full-service solutions from initial concept to prototype to production, and we can do more efficiently than anyone else in the industry - saving valuable time and cost.”