Paragon Rapid Technologies Ltd - Paragon Rapid Technologies

Our versatility lies within our staff and their skill and experience. We regularly call upon their more traditional skills to combine with our state of the art technologies to produce complex, scaled, architectural models. We have found that processes such as Stereolithography and Selective Laser Sintering can give very quick, accurate and cost effective solutions for producing some of the more complicated and organic architectural designs, that typically would be difficult to achieve using only traditional techniques. Models can be produced from supplied CAD data, fully mounted either as a white model or with painted finishes, surface detailing and accessories etc. 

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) allows the production of components in Nylon or Steel, direct from supplied 3D CAD data.

The process involves the fusing of nylon particles layer by layer to create a durable, functional component with excellent mechanical properties. The Laserform Steel production also requires the infiltration of bronze as a post process, in order to achieve full mechanical properties.

Parts can be produced from either standard 2200 polyamide, glass filled 3200 polyamide, Alumide or Laserform ST200 Steel.

Nylon parts can be sealed and fully finished to improve the fit and function of the models but also to achieve a more visually representative prototype.

Using the vacuum casting process we successfully simulate two shot injection moulding.

Excellent results have been achieved by moulding elastomer materials onto rigid plastic components for applications such as razor handles, rubber shrouds and robust electronic enclosures. 

The process can be used to produce split colour components such as automotive lenses, where both elements are cast in the same material but in different colours.

This process is also used for encapsulating metal fixtures and fittings into the models, such as threaded brass inserts, electrical contacts and metal substrates, etc.

Click on the link below to read our technology focus, published in Prototype Magazine.

With our team of fully qualified model makers, We offer a comprehensive finishing, painting and texturing service. Attention to detail at an early stage ensures high quality levels are achieved every time. To ensure technical compliance project ownership is a must.

We can supply models with any surface finish from basic to smooth to different grades of sparks and all the way to glossed and highly polished for any project requirement. A range of etched surface finishes can also be applied to simulate leather, wood grain or some of the more contemporary, geometric patterns found in the latest automotive interiors. Our fully finished Stereolithography Models are typically used as master patterns for silicone tooling and vacuum casting, but are equally suitable as a one off model for marketing or exhibition purposes. The models can be painted with intended production colours and textures and we can even produce text and graphic details from 2D artwork which can be applied to the finished prototypes.

Paragon's vacuum casting service offers you the opportunity to have production intent components for the development stage. Using an unrivalled range of rigid and elastomeric polyurethane resins we can replicate virtually any production material, including polypropylene, polycarbonate, ABS, nylon and rubbers.

Vacuum castings are produced from silicone rubber tools, which exactly replicate the geometry and surface detail of the SL master models. Silicone tools are designed with steel or aluminium inserts in order to accurately reproduce intricate details, bosses and through holes. The typical expected yield from a silicone tool is for 20-25 castings, though this is dependant on part complexity and material choice. Paragon have invested extensively in R&D and subsequently have been able to extend tool life for up to 50 castings with specific materials and tooling techniques.

Vacuum castings can be used for either fit and function testing, marketing and sales aids for new products or as a low volume production alternative.

New products added to the range include a glass filled material to simulate glass filled nylon and a UV stable crystal clear material that has superb optical properties for lens and light guide production. Also a new comprehensive range of clear rubber materials from 42 shoreA up to 90 shoreA is now available, allowing accurate colour matching of rubber components or elastomeric overmoulding, which has previously been limited by the base colours of the resins.

Components upto 820x520x500mm can be produced with our vacuum casting systems. Larger components can be produced in sections and then bonded together. Castings can also include the overmoulding or incapsulation of inserts and substrates.

Our in house colour mixing facility provides the opportunity to pigment the materials to Pantone, RAL or BS references or individually mixed to match swatches and corporate colours. This also applies to the colouration or tinting of clear parts to varying depths of translucency. Subsequent castings will closely represent the colour, surface finish and mechanical properties of the intended production parts. 

Our model makers attention to detail ensures that the vacuum castings are accurate to the original master model and components produced as assemblies are always trial fitted prior to despatch.

Parts can be sprayed to achieve metallic finishes or vacuum metalized with a "chrome effect" finish and graphics can be produced from 2D artwork and applied to represent screen or pad printing.