Case Study: East/West Industries achieves 87% faster metal forming die production with Stratasys 3D printing

East/West Industries cuts metal-forming die lead time by 87% with Stratasys

East/West Industries, an aerospace parts supplier, faced a challenge when a critical metal-forming die was damaged just before a production job. Their traditional machining process was too slow and would have jeopardized their ability to meet a customer's delivery timeline. To avert this crisis, they turned to their existing Stratasys Fortus 450mc 3D printer and FDM Nylon 12CF material.

The solution implemented by Stratasys involved 3D printing a replacement die using the composite polymer material. This approach worked flawlessly, providing the necessary strength and rigidity for the job. The results were significant, with Stratasys enabling an 87% reduction in lead time—producing the die in less than a week instead of eight—and an 80% cost savings of $4000 compared to the traditional outsourcing method.

East/West Industries