Aerospace Fixturing Leader FIXTUR3D Partners with MatterHackers To Accelerate Growth with 3D Printing

Additive manufacturing (aka: 3D Printing) is transforming innovation in all sectors of American-made technology, allowing for rapid localized manufacturing of custom final parts, and addressing crucial foreign supply chain failures.  Arkansas-based small business FIXTUR3D creates affordable fixture solutions, primarily for Aerospace Tubing, using 3D Printing.  

When FIXTUR3D was considering how to expand their business, they had been experimenting with low-cost desktop 3D printers like the UltiMaker S5, and found that they could create high-quality, low-volume custom products quickly and efficiently, therefore expanding their base of business.  They engaged MatterHackers, the largest US provider of desktop 3D printers, materials, training, and support for help. 

“When we set out to create fixtures, we had three goals in mind,” says Chris Harbaugh, Vice President of FIXTUR3D. “Reduce cost, increase efficiency, and make a quality product. MatterHackers helped us get set up with the right products from Ultimaker to Raise3D, helping us achieve our goals. We now have a dedicated print farm, and plenty of designers to handle new product development or legacy military programs.” 

MatterHackers has recently expanded their services to include in-person and virtual training, tech support, and medium-volume remote 3D printing services for companies who want to maintain successful in-house print farms, as well as have an overflow solution for 3D printed parts when orders exceed current capacity.  MatterHackers was able to help recommend the right 3D printers and filament for FIXTUR3D’s in-house print farm, as well as provide additional training for FIXTUR3D team members, set up scheduled maintenance and tech support to maximize production uptime, and generally team up with their fixturing experts to ensure that the highest quality parts were being provided to customers at the lowest cost and turnaround time. 

“In-house digital manufacturing capabilities are crucial for US businesses, and 3D printing makes it possible and affordable to produce parts at scale,” says Mara Hitner, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at MatterHackers. “FIXTUR3D is doing important work, and when they needed a partner to not only recommend the right 3D printers and materials, but also to provide training and support to keep them up and running, and to provide overflow printing services, MatterHackers was set up to offer a complete solution.”

This partnership resulted in exponential growth of the newly-formed business line, because it allowed FIXTUR3D to focus on what they do best - expertise in tubing fixtures, solving customer problems, and engineering solutions. 

Both MatterHackers and FIXTUR3D have roots in providing crucial services to the military and to prime contractors like Northrup Grumman, NAVAIR, Lockheed Martin, and more. In a critical time of supply chain uncertainty, there is only one way to ensure the continuity of aerospace projects and programs, and that’s by engineering, innovating, iterating, and manufacturing in the US. 

FIXTUR3D is currently working with several space companies to create fixtures for the future of space exploration, and partnering with other small businesses like MatterHackers, keeps both companies focused on innovation in their own fields, while multiplying the impact of their joint efforts.

About FIXTUR3D 

FIXTUR3D Provides Precise 3D printed Fixtures to measure your parts quickly and accurately within required tolerances. Utilizing FIXTUR3D’s Inhouse Engineering we create your Go- No Go Fixtures from customer furnished data and validate the data to print by using proprietary inspection software to certify the fixture. FIXTUR3D is an ITAR regulated and NIST compliant company. 

Media Contact: 

FIXTUR3D 

Chris Harbaugh 

Vice President 

479-936-1816 

About MatterHackers

MatterHackers is the largest 3D printing retailer in the U.S., with a selection of 70+ desktop 3D printers and 2000+ materials available at MatterHackers.com, and at their showroom in Orange County, CA. MatterHackers’ mission is to make 3D printing and digital fabrication easier and more accessible for everyone. They provide hands-on guidance and recommendations to help schools, military, small businesses, corporations, and individuals to purchase the 3D printers, materials, and other digital fabrication equipment they need for their applications. In-person and virtual training and tech support services are also available. MatterHackers provides several American-made 3D printers, as well as thousands of American-made filaments and resins under their MatterHackers Pro Series brand. MatterHackers provides free phone and email support and free US shipping. GSA MAS Schedule #47QSWA18D0087.