Stockwell Elastomerics cut validation lead times with Lynxter silicone 3D printing
Philadelphia-based elastomer specialist integrates French 3D printing technology to speed prototyping and reduce tooling risk
Stockwell Elastomerics, a Philadelphia-based silicone seals and elastomer components manufacturer, has integrated silicone additive manufacturing into its production facilities, deploying a Lynxter S300X – LIQ21 | LIQ11 3D printer to produce functional prototypes ahead of tooling investment.
Lynxter, the French elastomer 3D printing specialist, supplies the S300X platform to industrial customers across manufacturing, healthcare, and defense. The system uses material extrusion (MEX) technology to produce parts from liquid silicone rubber (LSR) materials spanning 5 to 70 Shore A hardness.
The integration allows Stockwell to print functional silicone parts using the same LSR materials used in its liquid injection molding (LIM) machines, before any production tooling has been machined.
A claimed sixfold reduction in validation time
Lynxter reported that the addition of its printing system allowed Stockwell to divide customer validation lead times by a factor of six, with multiple prototype iterations deliverable within a single week. Design iterations were also claimed to have been made simpler and the financial risks tied to tooling investment substantially reduced as a result.
Customers receive functional parts suitable for compression, assembly, and sealing tests — evaluations the company stated would not be achievable using vat photopolymerization technologies. Once a printed part passes validation, the design is locked and the production mold ordered, eliminating the risk of costly rework at the tooling stage.
Beyond the prototyping workflow, Stockwell’s engineers have used the S300X’s open material architecture to process their own silicone formulations — identical to those used for final molded parts — by customizing printing parameters directly on the machine.
