Client Spotlight Featuring Boston Micro Fabrication

Over the last few years, 3D printing has experienced a resurgence with the rise of more affordable technology, versatile materials, and innovative applications. From medtech and the life sciences to electronics and aerospace, use cases for on-demand, high-value 3D printed parts are growing exponentially.

We’re fortunate enough to have a front-row seat in this expanding market through our new client, Boston Micro Fabrication (BMF). Based just outside Boston, the company is specifically focused on use cases for 3Dprinting where precision is paramount, primarily at micro-scales (2µm~50µm). Their technology is helping disrupt traditional supply chains for more rapid production of parts at lower throughput levels and driving the miniaturization of technology across markets. While BMF’s printers have been used to produce prototypes, they recently launched a new Research Institute in San Diego that is exploring areas where 3D printing can replace traditional manufacturing.

As we work with their team to elevate the role of 3D printing in transitioning from prototyping to precision manufacturing, we sat down with Laura Galloway, Marketing Director at BMF, to discuss how we’re addressing this goal head-on.

As part of our kick-off, we did a lot of messaging work to identify what makes BMF unique. Can you expand on that, and why BMF focuses on smaller scale parts?

We get to work with many different, truly talented companies that use our technology to deliver impact across industries like electronics, medical devices, and life sciences. By developing the tools to help them get to their end results – whether they’re prototyping or manufacturing – we get to witness this innovation firsthand.

Tocontribute to this impact, we are focused on delivering 3D-printed parts with a unique combination of excellence in three key areas: resolution, accuracy, and precision. This has allowed us to focus on key verticals where we know high precision and accuracy are required. That’s not to say we can’t make bigger parts as well, but the smaller the part and the more complex the geometry, the more expensive it is to manufacture a mold, and with wait times being weeks and sometimes months, being able to 3D print micro-precision parts allows us to address a need that often can’t be met through traditional manufacturing.

You’ve had a stream of exciting news recently, from receiving funding last year to launching your Research Institute in San Diego. How did you know now is the right time to increase your Brand Marketing and PR efforts?

We’ve had a lot of success gaining momentum in the 3D printing industry – we brought a new technology to the table that is addressing an underserved market within the additive manufacturing industry. Since the opening of our Maynard office in 2019, we’ve been working on establishing brand awareness as the leader in the micro, high-precision 3D printing space. Now that we have achieved that (although the work is never done), we wanted to work with an agency to help us expand on this work while helping us break into new markets and educating more people about the existence and role that 3D printing can play in product development, especially when it comes to micro parts. There will be exciting news coming out of the San Diego Research Institute in the near future – so stay tuned!

3D printing is a space that has ebbed and flowed in media headlines over the years. Do you believe we’re at an inflection point, and how is BMF uniquely positioned to take the lead?

3D printing as an industry has recently been recognized for its important role in speeding up the time to deliver prototypes across several sectors. This is undoubtedly an important use of our technology, but we’re most excited about the opportunity to move from prototyping to production.

We know that high-precision molding or traditional manufacturing of the parts we often get asked to make can be slow or very expensive – and in some cases, it isn’t even possible. Using our technology, some parts can be made more cost-effectively and efficiently than traditional manufacturing processes, especially in short-run production. And this world where we can maximize value and meet production volume expands as the parts get smaller.

‍BMF has done an amazing job of securing customer stories to support the value you bring, such as your recent presentation at RAPID with Tessy Plastics and work with Sutrue. How have you been so successful in collaborating with customers across industries?

We are a very customer-centric company, and with a longer sales cycle for capital equipment, we really work on fostering relationships with our prospects and customers. We have an excellent support team, and as we’ve continued our positive relationships with our customers, many of them are excited to share what they’ve been working on with our technology.

‍Our team is focused on supporting you through the moments that matter, but also the moments in between. What has been one of the most notable early successes of the program?

It’s been a quick but productive four months together. Working on and refining our messaging at the early stages was a worthwhile exercise for us as a small team. It’s sometimes hard to look objectively at things when you are living it day in and day out. Very early on, the Greenough team secured coverage in some key verticals we’ve been targeting, including Medical Device Manufacturing and Electronics. Positioning our CEO as a thought leader has also been helpful, and I am very excited to see what the rest of the year brings!

We are too, Laura! To see what the next chapter brings, follow BMF on LinkedIn and check out their blog.