The Challenge

For manufacturers, custom jigs and fixtures are essential for maintaining quality, repeatability and efficiency on the production floor. However, producing these tools using traditional methods can be expensive, time-consuming and inflexible, particularly when designs need to evolve quickly.

Moval, an Italian manufacturer of custom hot-forged brass components serving the hydraulic, automotive and welding industries, wanted to reduce the cost and lead time associated with producing production aids. With every part manufactured in-house, from design through to CNC machining, the business needed a faster way to create custom tooling without relying on external suppliers.

Alongside speed, protecting valuable design data was also a key priority. As a manufacturer working with proprietary customer designs, any digital manufacturing solution needed to offer robust security alongside reliable performance.

The Solution

Having successfully used the UltiMaker S5 Pro Bundle for several years, Moval upgraded to the UltiMaker S8, enabling the team to produce production-ready jigs, fixtures, gauges and functional tools faster than ever before.

Using the complete UltiMaker ecosystem, including UltiMaker Cura and Digital Factory, engineers can design, prepare and manage print jobs through a streamlined workflow while keeping sensitive design files secure.

The flexibility of the UltiMaker platform also allows Moval to select the right material for every application, including:

• PLA for dimensional inspection gauges
• TPU 95A for flexible gasket covers
• PET CF for durable, wear-resistant machine fixtures

This allows the business to manufacture application-specific tooling entirely in-house, reducing dependency on external suppliers while significantly improving responsiveness to production requirements.

The Results

Faster Production

One of Moval’s dimensional inspection gauges previously required 6 hours and 34 minutes to print. Using the UltiMaker S8, the same component is now produced in just 1 hour and 49 minutes, while delivering an improved surface finish that requires no post-processing.

Lower Manufacturing Costs

By producing jigs and fixtures internally, Moval has eliminated the cost and delays associated with outsourcing tooling. New designs can be tested, refined and reproduced in a matter of hours rather than weeks.

Greater Design Freedom

Unlike conventionally manufactured tooling, 3D printed fixtures can be designed to perfectly match complex component geometry, improving accuracy and usability while allowing rapid iteration whenever production requirements change.

Material Flexibility

The UltiMaker S8 enables Moval to manufacture a wide range of production tools using engineering-grade materials chosen specifically for each application.

Examples include:

• Inspection gauges printed in PLA with integrated visual size indicators.
• Flexible gasket covers produced in TPU 95A to improve sealing performance.
• Wear-resistant machine jigs printed in PET CF for continuous use on the shop floor.

Why UltiMaker?

For Moval, the UltiMaker S8 has become far more than a prototyping tool.

By bringing tooling production in-house, the business has been able to:

• Reduce production lead times
• Lower tooling costs
• Improve manufacturing agility
• Protect valuable design data
• Produce reliable, production-ready tooling on demand

The combination of speed, material versatility, reliability and secure digital workflows has enabled Moval to respond faster to customer requirements while continuously improving manufacturing efficiency.

Looking to Improve Manufacturing Efficiency?

Whether you’re producing custom jigs and fixtures, functional prototypes or end-use manufacturing aids, the UltiMaker S8 helps engineering teams reduce lead times, cut costs and bring production tooling in-house.

Speak to the team at Tri-Tech 3D to discover how UltiMaker can help transform your manufacturing workflow.