The Future of Canadian Infrastructure: Barrie Manufacturer & 3D Printing

Munro Manhole Cover section with debossed text

Business Processes Not Written in Stone at Barrie Manufacturer

You could say the future of Canadian Infrastructure design for Munro Ltd., based in the Barrie, Ontario area, is (literally) not written in concrete. Take for example, how they moved from using brass stamps to a 3D printer for faster, cheaper writing on their concrete designs.

Characters, such as model numbers, are now debossed on their products using rapid prototyping. The company discovered this time and money saver after delivery of their uPrint SE 3D printer from Javelin Technologies in early 2014.

Munro Ltd. makes infrastructure products with computerized concrete batching and distribution and manufacturing processes to meet exacting tolerances, for water transmission, bridges, storm/sanitary systems, engineered precast products, and tunnelling for public and private sector clients across North America and abroad. Their in-house engineers and technologists rely on their uPrint SE to test and perfect their work, since the printer uses Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) technology.

Founded in 1957 and today an industry leader with a 44,000-sq.-meter flexible manufacturing facility, Munro has a team of in-house engineers that design products needed to make the schedule shorter and the infrastructure last longer. That team has told me they’re very happy with 3D printing as it helps them win business and save time. They’ve found a lot of great uses for their uPrint SE printer – building prototype designs and being able to move product development along quickly. Since installing the printer, Munro engineers have used it to explain new products such as the integrated frame and cover system for maintenance holes (below) and to show consulting engineers exactly how components Munro designs for their projects can be assembled and installed.

3D Printed Manhole Design

Here at Javelin Technologies, we love being able to provide the Rapid Prototyping technology infrastructure needed for a company that calls itself “the future of infrastructure.” Learn more about Munro Ltd., at their website: www.munroltd.com