Case Study: SQP Engineering achieves 30% cost savings and 7x faster drill-bit gauging with Markforged

SQP Engineering and Strada Percussion Drilling Systems

SQP Engineering, a Western Australian precision-machining supplier serving mining and oil & gas clients (including Strada Percussion Drilling Systems), faced a persistent challenge: accurately measuring wear on hard‑rock drill bits. Traditional steel and aluminum ring gauges (250–450 mm in 3 mm increments) were inaccurate, prone to operator error, and could miss asymmetrical wear—risking stuck drill strings. SQP was the first company in Western Australia to buy a Markforged FX20, positioning them to address the problem with additive manufacturing.

To solve it, SQP used the Markforged FX20 to produce a three‑point precision caliper gauge that measures 250–450 mm bits with greater accuracy and replaces many rings with one portable, corrosion‑proof tool. Using Markforged printing, SQP cut tooling cost by 30%, reduced lead time from two weeks to two days, slashed production time by a factor of seven, and eliminated machining—delivering a more durable, ergonomic gauge that reduces human measurement error.

SQP Engineering