CASE STUDY

IBC Technologies enables innovation in collaboration with BC 3D Printing Service Bureau

IBC Technologies is a company based in Vancouver, BC which designs and manufactures heating equipment for residential and commercial use. IBC was developing a jig to accelerate the assembly of fan components, and was looking for a local manufacturer which could offer a quick, low-cost solution to support them with rapid prototyping and eventual manufacturing of their jig assembly. IBC approached Tempus 3D to help them with the manufacturing process.

Key benefits

Rapid prototyping to test multiple iterations of the jig being developed.
Production of custom jigs to support manufacturing.
Reduced cost of design changes compared to machining parts.
Local manufacturing, minimizing lead times and environmental costs.

Photo courtesy of IBC Technologies

Organization

IBC Technologies

Industry

Hydronic Heating, Industrial Goods, Research and Development

Technology

HP Multi Jet Fusion 5200

Materials

Nylon PA12

Introduction

IBC Technologies was founded more than 25 years ago with the express purpose of improving the world of hydronic heating. IBC currently serves the entire North American market and continues to produce innovative products out of their Vancouver, BC location. IBC has embraced industrial 3D printing as a key tool for not just rapid prototyping, but also production runs of low volume parts and the integration of 3D printing in their manufacturing process through the design and implementation of 3D printed jigs and fixtures.

Challenge

IBC was designing a jig to speed up the assembly of multiple fan components. Jigs and fixtures present unique manufacturing challenges as they can be expensive, time-consuming and wasteful to machine using traditional manufacturing methods, especially when the design is being tested and improved with multiple iterations. IBC was in search of a close-to-home solution that would de-risk their production and enable them to quickly build, test and re-design their prototype before manufacturing their final design.

Solution

3D printing was an ideal solution for this project and has been a game changer for the production of jigs and fixtures. By being relatively low cost compared to CNC machining while maintaining comparable levels of accuracy, 3D printing is becoming the go to solution for smaller jigs and fixtures.

IBC was looking for a local company that was able to provide 3D printing services with industrial-grade materials with low cost and high accuracy. After researching their options, they approached Tempus 3D for a solution. Tempus produced their first parts for IBC Technologies in the summer of 2021 and has been working with them on a regular basis on a number of projects since then.

Result

IBC tested several iterations of their jig, with the advice and support of the Tempus technical team to optimize their design for 3D printing processes. Tempus was able to 3D print the desired fixture with a quick turnaround time and within tolerance, enabling IBC to speed up production and reduce costs associated with their fan assembly process.

IBC and Tempus continue to work together with the production of additional jigs and fixtures and are both heavily invested in bringing manufacturing back to Canada and British Columbia. As IBC continues to invest in innovation Tempus is there to help them iterate quickly and get their products from concept to market in record time.

With Tempus’ location in the interior of British Columbia it is uniquely capable of serving both the lower mainland and Alberta markets with cost-effective overnight shipping and the ability to turn around rush orders in as little as 36 hours. We at Tempus feel this is just the beginning of what manufacturing will look like in the future; it will be more responsive, customized, and local allowing innovators across sectors to bring products to market quicker and in a more environmentally friendly way.