Canada Makes invests $75K in Shimifrez additive manufacturing

Apr. 14, 2017 – Shimifrez, a precision manufacturer of photo chemically etched and electroformed of micro metal components, has announced a $750,000 expansion that will create eight additional jobs at its new facility in Vaughan, Ont.

Funded by Canada Makes through its Metal Additive Demonstration Program, the photo electroforming of copper parts is an additive process that can control the tolerances to +/1um on the feature and thickness of the parts.

“The Metal Additive Demonstration Program goal is to develop a world-class supply chain of companies, Canada Makes is pleased to see Shimifrez expanding its operations to help achieve the goal,” said Frank Defalco, Canada Makes manager.

Canada Makes, a Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) initiative, is a network of private, public, academic, and non-profit entities dedicated to promoting the adoption and development of additive manufacturing in Canada.

Shimifrez describes electroforming as a fabrication process through which a highly accurate negative replica is produced from a mandrel or master surface. “It also stands out in terms of high repeat-ability and complex thin metal products. The highly resolution of the conductive patterned substrate allows finer geometries, tighter tolerances and superior edge definition,” it notes.

Precision photochemical etching is a method for producing complex flat metal parts for prototyping and quantity production, and photo chemical etching, it says, has eliminated the cost of hard tooling and has enabled a manufacturing process with “much faster turnaround with no deformation and burrs.”

“We recognized that there’s a major market gap, for accurate, flexible and cost effective thin metal components and services, new advanced technologies and investments in state-of-the-art capital equipment are lowering production costs, increasing productivity and allowing for the creation of new innovative products” said Hassan Nojoumi, Shimifrez president.

According to Shimifrez, the fastest response time and lowest photo tooling costs make photo chemical machining and electroforming ideal for both prototyping and medium and large production quantities. Instead of stamping, or laser cutting photo etching produces highly accurate and identical components for small and large batches, it notes.