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MLC

Melbourne Laser Cutter was acquired by Bolec Electronics in June 2019. Bolec Electronics is a 40 year old company that designs and manufactures over 80 different products used in the automotive, commercial vehicle, mining, agricultural and industrial markets. The Melbourne Laser Cutter team is now comprised of engineers and technicians with a wealth of knowledge and interest in making things. We are not techies in lab coats – we have hobbies and outside interests in art and music.

Bolec Electronics is located in a shared warehouse in Heidelberg Heights that is home to several creative businesses. Over the years Bolec Electronics has developed relationships with quality manufacturers in Australia and overseas.

If you are not in a hurry, we can help you turn your idea into a reality at a reasonable cost. Below are photos of things that we have made in the past with indicative pricing. The prices below should serve as a rough guide only. Each project is different and faces its own engineering constraints that can materially affect the price.

SLA 3D printing (Stereolithography)

Maximum size: 600mm x 600mm x 400mm

Note: Printing time, raw material required and price increase exponentially with size.

Time required: 10 to 25 working days. Can be expedited at extra cost.

SLA 3D printing is our preferred method for prototyping and product development because of the quality and accuracy of the output.

With SLA 3D printing technology, a UV laser is used to cure a photopolymer into the desired shape so wherever the laser hits the resin, the resin will solidify. By using a complex optical engine consisting of an array of mirrors and galvanometers, the Form 2 which is the highest rated printer we use, can produce parts with a feature accuracy of +-0.2mm along with a much smoother surface finish that can be compared much more closely to the finish of injection moulded parts.

3D printed case
Guide Price: 95 AUD + GST + shipping (15 AUD)

3D printed faceplate (SLA)
Guide Price: 80 AUD + GST + shipping (15 AUD)

FDM 3D printing

(Fused Deposition Modeling)

Maximum size: 500mm x 280mm x 500mm
Note: Printing time, raw material required and price increase exponentially with size.
Time required: 10 to 25 working days.

Can be expedited at extra cost.FDM is the cheaper way of 3D prototyping your products. Most entry-level / consumer 3D printers utilize FDM technology.FDM builds up layers of melted plastic to create the final 3D print and with this method, you have a wide choice of materials and colours to create your final product from. However, where you save money you comprise quality.

FDM (shown)
62.50 AUD + GST + shipping (15 AUD)

SLA (not shown, for comparison)
130 AUD + GST + shipping (15 AUD)

Injection Moulded Plastic

If you want to make many complex parts, this is usually the most cost effective process. Injection moulding requires investment in tooling.

Injection moulding is a manufacturing process for producing parts by injecting molten material into a mould.

Recommend always getting a SLA prototype made first before committing to the mould.

Tooling cost: 4500 AUD + GST
MOQ: 1000 pcs
Unit price: 1.20 AUD per unit + GST + shipping and import duties

Tooling cost: 5400 AUD + GST
Unit price: 2.20 AUD + GST + shipping and import duties
MOQ: 1000 units

Carbon Fibre Sheet

Genuine carbon fibre sheet looks great and has many desirable properties: High stiffness and strength, lightweight, corrosion resistance, Low CTE (Coefficient of Thermal Expansion), chemical resistivity

Dimensions:
Price per unit: 130 AUD + GST + shipping and import duties
Minimum order quantity: 10 pcs

Stamped Metal

Stamped parts can be a great way to create strong and highly engineered parts with a low unit cost. The part shown replaced a part that required over 10 processes (cutting, bending, welding, tapping, plating, testing)

Stainless steel 1.2mm thick
Tooling cost: 3800 AUD + GST
Per unit price: 1.00 AUD + GST + shipping and import duties
Minimum order quantity: 5000 pcs

Electronic Circuit Design

Bolec Electronics has developed over 80 electronic products – some of which are used as original equipment on trucks, buses and stationary engines for some of the largest OEMs in the world. We can work with you existing files, your design spec, or your ideas.

Agreed fixed price or $50 per hour (contact us)

PCB Layout

We prefer to work in Kicad, which is free open-source software that enables our customers to read our design files and follow along with the process. We also use Altium / Protel.

PCB above took approx. 8 hours before revisions

CAD / CAM Design

We are able to take your back-of-the-napkin drawings and create CAD drawings that can be used to manufacture your product. CAD drawings can be rendered for use in marketing materials as well.

Agreed fixed price or $50 per hour (contact us)

Rendered model of 3D part

Drawing below took approx. 30 hours before revisions

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