Dash-CAE

Born from F1, Dash-CAE is a prototype vehicle design one-stop-shop. They 3D scan, 3D print and explore advanced/digital manufacturing for composite products. Based in the heart of Oxfordshire, it’s secure facilities are ideally placed to serve any design engineering, tooling and any rapid prototyping needs you may have.

History with 3D Printing

Tim Robathan, CEO of Dash-CAE previously worked in the motorsport industry for over 20 years and when setting up Dash-CAE bought with him a wealth of industry knowledge. In 1999, Tim first dipped his toe in the water with 3D printing and was the first person to run a 3D printed part on an F1 car. Since then, he has pioneered the technology with his knowledge of the additive manufacturing process going from strength to strength. In the year 2010, Dash-CAE invested in its first Stratasys FDM machine – the Fortus 400. Tim Robathan comments:

Having discovered 3D printing for motorsport development in the late 1990s, I have been a great believer in additive manufacturing reducing costs and as a result bought our first Stratasys in 2010.

This was used for printing a newly developed lost-mandrel process now widely embraced in motorsport circles. Following on from this, Dash-CAE started A-Surface tooling in ULTEM. Before the company knew it, the machine was at full capacity printing a wide array of parts for their customers. Robathan explained to the Tri-Tech team that within 4-6 weeks their Fortus 400 had pretty much paid for itself!

One year later and the F400 proving to be a true work-horse, it was a natural progression for Dash-CAE to introduce the Fortus 250, thus expanding its capacity for 3D printing in high end thermoplastics.

Pushing Capacity

Due to Dash-CAE bonding smaller F400 prints more often they decided invest in a larger platform. After discussions with the Tri-Tech 3D team to discover what would be the best printer for them and recognising that customers were also requesting bigger parts to be printed, faster and in line with their deadlines, it was a perfect fit for the biggest FDM printer of the range – the F900.

Tim Robathan commented:

To mark our 10th anniversary with Stratasys we have purchased the ‘big-one’ and Tri-Tech 3D have been an excellent partner with the installation and commissioning of our large-scale Stratasys Fortus 900. 

Boasting a bed size of nearly 1m3 the Stratasys Fortus 900 was perfect for what Dash-CAE’s clients needed. With a wide spectrum of tough FDM 3D printing materials now at it’s disposal – including the latest carbon-fibre stiffened materials – Dash-CAE are producing real engineering plastic parts built to endure a number of safety and functional tests.

Dash-CAE is well and truly pushing the boundaries of what it’s Stratasys Fortus 900 can do, and is constantly thinking of new ways to help its customers deliver fast products at reduced costs.

Looking to the Future

With the biggest of the Stratasys FDM range and being one of only a handful of companies owning this technology in the UK – Dash-CAE is a proven alternative to the conventional pattern work & tooling technology with the capability of producing functional parts too.

For more information on the Fortus 900 or the Stratasys production range of printers, please get in touch with the Tri-Tech team.

Download full case study here