FluidMS

3D printed sensor enclosure opens doors to new markets and cost savings

Background

FluidMS design, develop and manufacture environmental and machine coolant monitoring systems for manufacturing workshops and other industrial environments.

It approached the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) to investigate making a key part in-house instead of buying it off the shelf, which would reduce costs, improve efficiency and provide greater control over its supply chain.

Customer challenge

FluidMS's products incorporate a variety of electronic components fitted into boxes, known as sensor enclosures, which are either mounted directly onto the machines they monitor, or to fixtures around a workshop.

Purchasing the boxes off the shelf, FluidMS had to undertake significant alteration work totalling up to 60 minutes to make the boxes fit for purpose, including adding input/output holes, mounting holes, and Velcro strips to hold internal components in place. This prevents the company from being able to quickly turn around orders.

The boxes were also larger than required, resulting in wasted space and preventing the enclosures from being fitted within tight areas. Certain configurations of the product resulted in just 50% of the enclosure being filled.  

How did NMIS help?

In a project funded by the Advancing Manufacturing Challenge Fund’s Additive Manufacturing Business and Technology Support (AM-BATS) project, the NMIS Machining and Additive Manufacturing team determined that additive manufacturing (AM) could be used to create the sensor enclosures.

The AM technologists developed a new enclosure 50% smaller than the existing one through material extrusion AM techology, which does not require any mechanical alterations during assembly.

The team have also upskilled Fluid MS by providing guidance on how to design for AM.