Falcon Trophy

Malcolm Nicholls Ltd utilised 3D printing and 3D scanning technology to reproduce and 3D print trophies – 18 replica trophies to be exact! For an Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship-associated golf tournament.

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Falcon Trophy

Market Sector:

Processes Used: SLS - 3D Printing, Vacuum Casting

Model Type: Functional or Working Prototypes

Project Purpose: Low Volume Production – Low Volume Manufacturing

An exciting project that saw Malcolm Nicholls Ltd utilise 3D printing and 3D scanning technology to reproduce 18 3d Print trophies (replicas) for an Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship-associated golf tournament.

On the Abu Dhabi golfing circuit, the Falcon Trophy has long been synonymous with the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. The Pro-Am tournament serves as a supporting competition which precedes the main event. Event organisers wanted smaller versions of the Falcon Trophy to award winners of the curtain raiser tournament and briefed isodo3D about producing 18 quarter-size replicas, six for each of the next three tournaments.

Isodo3D worked along with Malcolm Nicholls Ltd when they found that the most cost-effective and non-compromising method was to print the falcon and golf ball and then hand turn the wooden plinths. A HP 3D Structured Light Scanner Pro S3 was used to scan the trophy and create the data required to print the trophy. Using our latest SLA technology a master model was printed.

This master model was hand-finished and painted to a perfect gloss surface. The 3D-printed gloss master was then used as a pattern for soft silicone tooling. Castings were produced in durable polyurethane to simulate ABS from silicone tools. Once the castings were complete they were sent away for plating using Vacuum metallisation.

While the vacuum metallising process was taking place, the wooden bases were sent to L Squared Lasers in Bedfordshire. Using a highly accurate laser they engraved the logos and tournament sponsors onto each plinth. Once all parts of the project were completed, the trophies were assembled, polished, quality checked and sent out to Abu Dhabi in time for the tournament.

“The Falcon Trophy, originally designed by the renowned silversmith Edward Asprey, has become such an iconic feature of the Championship that we wanted to reward the winners of the annual Pro-Am, played as a curtain raiser to the tournament, with a sub-size replica to be a special memento of the day,” said Peter German, Tournament Director of the Abu Dhabi event. “We approached isodo3D who successfully produced a fantastic and accurate, and importantly reasonably priced, replica – they looked good and the winners loved them.”

3D Print Trophies – Case Study

Close up of the finished 3D printed Falcon Trophy

Low Volume Production or The 3D Printed Falcon Trophy

Why Use Low Volume Production / Low Volume Manufacturing?

With the growing demand for Low Volume Production also known as low volume manufacturing and small batch production Malcolm Nicholls Ltd can produce 1 – 1000’s of parts.

If you’re looking for a one-off bespoke top-quality part such as a trophy, or you require 1000’s customised parts such as widgets, we have the solutions to suit your needs.

It is an increasingly popular option as it allows for a smaller investment in tooling and materials while providing fast access to the market. It also acts to bridge the gap between initial prototypes and mass production.

Historically, manufacturing components in low quantities has always been a costly exercise. With the advent of 3D printing and vacuum casting many constraints previously faced can now be significantly reduced. Technologies such as SLS (Stereolithography) and FDM (Fused Deposition Modelling) can now be used (especially for non-seen parts), to produce components in quantities as low as 1s and 2s and up to thousands, but still with exceptional material properties such as flame retardancy and high-heat requirements. Traditional design constraints, usually associated with injection mould tooling for example, can now be ignored enabling designers to be more efficient and reduce part count within assemblies.

Looking to Produce Multiple Parts?

We can produce anything from one to thousands

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