SQP Engineering - Machine Guard
SQP Engineering, a leading supplier of precision-machined products in Western Australia (WA), has expanded its state of the art manufacturing capabilities by integrating a robust additive manufacturing setup into its CNC machine shop.
In 2024, SQP was approached by WA company Dredge Robotics, a world leader in online robotic dredging, with an urgent request relating to a substantial contract submission. The contract, with a major mining company, required Dredge to provide equipment that would operate in dams containing highly acidic materials. The primary challenge was to design and produce a cover for the equipment that would be impervious to the hostile operating environment, with the added requirement that it be done very quickly, to meet the contract submission deadline.
– David Miller, Managing Director, SQP Engineering“Making the cover in aluminium or stainless steel would be expensive for a one-off but, more importantly, the lead time would be prohibitive in view of the tight deadline.”
Dredge recognised that making the cover in aluminium or stainless steel would be expensive for a one-off part but, more importantly, the lead time would be prohibitive in view of the tight deadline. Having an existing working relationship with SQP, it decided that additive manufacturing should be brought into consideration.
SQP managing director, David Miller, said the first stage was to bring together Dredge’s design drafter, Phillip Falconbridge, with SQP’s additive manufacturing specialist, Hudson Miller, to discuss how to modify the existing design to facilitate printing. The resultant design increased the strength of the part while eliminating the need for sacrificial support material.
“Dredge turned around the new design quickly, and we were able to print a trial part on the same day. We used Markforged ULTEM ™ Filament, which we knew would meet the corrosion-resistance criteria, but we were concerned the finished part would not be rigid enough,” said David.
“Fortunately, we had just taken delivery of our first order of Markforged’s new Vega material to use on our FX20 printer. Vega is a high-performance carbon fibre filled PEKK originally designed for aerospace applications, and has the strength of aluminium at as little as 40% of the weight. The end result was a cover that was fit for purpose in every respect. It was printed overnight, bolted on, and Dredge were able to meet the submission deadline.”
“We are now discussing with Dredge the option of using AM in the manufacture of other components, primarily to reduce the weight of their equipment without sacrificing strength,” he said
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