Premier Control Technologies Fluid Solutions
3D printing and modern printing technologies rely on repeatable control of gases and liquids to achieve stable quality, consistent deposition, and predictable outcomes. Whether you are managing inert gas shielding for metal additive manufacturing, controlling purge cycles and chamber exchanges, or handling ink and resin dispensing, the common thread is accurate, responsive flow and pressure control. In the UK and Ireland, these processes often run in mixed environments—R&D labs, OEM production, contract manufacturing, and on-site print facilities—where reliability and support matter as much as specifications.
Premier Control Technologies (PCT) supports printing and additive manufacturing applications with flow controllers, pumps, pressure control, gas mixing and dew point measurement, backed by local expertise and regional support. As the Alicat partner for the British Isles, PCT also provides UK-based service capability, helping reduce downtime for critical instrumentation.
This page summarises the most common process areas in 3D printing, ink printing, and ink manufacturing, and recommends one best-fit product for each application area (without repeating products across multiple sections).
Inert gas shielding is central to many additive manufacturing and advanced printing processes, particularly where oxygen exposure affects material properties. In metal additive manufacturing, shielding gas prevents oxidation during deposition and helps stabilise melt pools and surface quality. In polymer and composite printing, inerting can protect sensitive chemistries, reduce moisture impact, and improve repeatability. Shielding is not simply “on/off”; it often requires controlled flow profiles for different phases of printing, such as start-up stabilisation, steady-state operation, and post-process cooling. Flow stability matters because gas turbulence and fluctuations can influence deposition consistency and process repeatability. For UK and Irish users, this often includes integration with existing gas supplies and control systems, with an emphasis on reliability and ease of setup.
Build chamber purge and gas exchange are critical to establishing a controlled environment before printing begins. A purge process typically removes oxygen, humidity, and airborne contamination, then replaces the chamber atmosphere with a stable inert environment. Gas exchange may also occur mid-process—particularly in systems that transition between steps, operate different materials, or require atmosphere refresh cycles. Purge cycles benefit from consistent, repeatable flow because cycle time and residual oxygen targets are strongly influenced by how gas is introduced and vented. In production settings, repeatable purge cycles reduce variability between builds, helping maintain consistent part quality and throughput. In the UK and Ireland, where many systems are installed in compact production spaces, OEM-style compact flow control and simple interfacing can make integration easier and reduce cabinet complexity.
Powder bed fusion and metal additive manufacturing require particularly robust gas management. Gas flow helps remove process by-products, manage spatter, and maintain consistent conditions across the bed. In many systems the available pressure head can be limited, and excessive pressure drop in flow control components can reduce overall effectiveness. Control must also remain stable across long build times, where even small drift or instability can impact repeatability. Metal AM users often tune gas flow to match part geometry, power settings, and chamber configuration, so flexibility and responsiveness are important. In addition, many metal AM environments demand reliable instrumentation and service support, because downtime is costly and builds can run for extended periods. This is a key reason users favour solutions that can maintain control without imposing unnecessary system constraints.
Multi-gas blending is increasingly used in advanced printing and manufacturing to create controlled atmospheres for process optimisation. Some systems require blending for research purposes, qualification tests, or to achieve specific material outcomes. Controlled atmospheres can include inert environments, trace additives, or repeatable mixtures for consistent results across batches. Blending also reduces dependency on multiple premixed cylinders when users need varying recipes, which can reduce logistical complexity and improve flexibility. In R&D, multi-gas blending allows rapid iteration between conditions while keeping accurate, repeatable ratios. In production, it supports stable recipes that can be logged and replicated across runs, a growing requirement for industrial quality processes.
Printhead and nozzle pressure stability is one of the most important factors in consistent deposition and droplet formation. In inkjet and precision dispensing, pressure fluctuations can cause banding, drift in drop volume, or instability during accelerations and decelerations. In extrusion-based 3D printing, pressure stability affects bead width, start/stop behaviour, and layer consistency. Pressure issues often become more visible with higher viscosity materials, higher speed printing, and where small nozzles are used. Stabilising pressure also helps reduce sensitivity to downstream restrictions, filter loading, or supply variability. In many printing systems, a stable back pressure setpoint provides predictable conditions at the printhead, improving repeatability and reducing tuning effort.
Ink recirculation is used to maintain stable ink properties and reduce settling, especially where pigments are present. Recirculation can keep temperature and viscosity more uniform, help prevent nozzle clogging, and improve reliability over long print runs. In industrial systems, recirculation also supports degassing and filtering strategies to protect printheads. The challenge is to move ink smoothly without introducing excessive pulsation or shear that can affect print quality. Flow stability is important because recirculation often sits in a closed loop where system resistance changes over time as filters load and conditions shift. A good recirculation pump needs to be controllable, repeatable, and compatible with the fluid properties used in printing and manufacturing.
Ink dosing and make-up is the process of precisely adding components to maintain consistent ink properties over time. In practice this can include adding solvent to manage viscosity, adding concentrates to maintain colour density, or dosing additives to maintain performance. These dosing steps must be controlled because small deviations can shift print quality, drying behaviour, and final appearance. In industrial environments, dosing may be event-driven (batch) or continuous, depending on how the system is designed. Dosing often happens at relatively low flow rates, where control resolution and repeatability are essential. In addition, dosing systems benefit from instrumentation that can be integrated into automation, ensuring consistent operation and traceability.
Resin and photopolymer systems depend on consistent material feed to maintain stable print conditions. In vat-based systems, refill management ensures the vat remains at a usable level and that resin properties remain consistent during extended operation. In some platforms, controlled feed is also used to manage temperature conditioning and to reduce exposure to air. Resin dispensing may need to accommodate varying viscosities, particularly when resins are filled with functional additives or when temperature changes occur. It can also involve controlled start/stop profiles to prevent dripping, bubbles, or oversupply. In OEM designs, footprint and integration options matter because the pump often sits inside a compact chassis. A reliable feed system reduces print interruptions and improves repeatability between builds.
Functional fluids used in printing and additive manufacturing can include conductive inks, catalysts, binders, biological reagents, or specialty coatings. These fluids often carry higher value and require tighter control because even small dosing errors can change functional outcomes. Low-flow dispensing is also where pulsation and step resolution become more visible, impacting repeatability and process stability. Many functional fluids are sensitive to shear, temperature, and contamination, so the dispensing method must be chosen carefully. In addition, low-flow dispensing systems frequently sit inside instruments or compact modules, so footprint and integration are important. A precision dispensing approach helps reduce waste, improves repeatability, and supports process qualification for industrial use.
R&D printhead characterisation requires controlled, repeatable fluid delivery to evaluate jetting performance, droplet formation, and response to waveform/pressure changes. Test rigs often run multiple trials where only one variable should change, so stable flow and accurate micro-delivery are essential. Syringe-based systems are common in R&D because they can deliver small volumes with fine control and can run infusion/withdrawal profiles for dynamic testing. In advanced workflows, researchers may automate multi-step protocols such as ramping, cycling, and timed sequences to emulate real printer demands. Data logging, access control, and repeatable method storage become important as R&D moves into regulated or industrial qualification. In UK and Irish labs, ease of integration with PLCs or PC software can speed up prototyping and reduce engineering time.
Dew point monitoring is essential where compressed air or nitrogen quality affects printing performance, drying behaviour, or contamination risk. Moisture can cause defects in coatings, change ink behaviour, accelerate corrosion in pneumatic systems, and reduce consistency in sensitive processes. In ink manufacturing, moisture can shift mixing behaviour and storage stability, particularly where water sensitivity exists. Dryer verification is also important because a dryer may appear to be operating while still allowing unacceptable moisture levels through under certain conditions. Dew point measurement provides a quantifiable check that air and nitrogen quality remain within target levels over time. In industrial environments, dew point monitoring supports proactive maintenance, reduces downtime and protects product quality.
Pigmented inks introduce additional challenges compared with dye-based systems because particles can settle, agglomerate, and increase wear or clogging risk. Transfer and circulation pumping must maintain flow without damaging pigment structure and without introducing instability that impacts print quality. Many pigmented ink systems operate with filtration, degassing, and recirculation to protect printheads and keep ink stable. Over time, system resistance can change as filters load or as temperature/viscosity shifts, making stable pumping even more important. Where dosing and transfer must be repeatable, the pump technology should be tolerant of fluid variation and should not rely on delicate valves that could clog. In industrial ink manufacturing and printing, robust pumping also reduces maintenance and improves operational consistency.
| Application | Recommended Technologies | Why It Helps |
|---|---|---|
| Inert gas shielding / atmosphere control | Precision gas mass flow control (Alicat MC Series MFC) | Stable N₂/Ar control, fast response, broad turndown |
| Build chamber purge & gas exchange | OEM-ready gas control (Alicat Basis 2.0 MFC) | Compact OEM integration, selectable gases, wide range |
| Powder bed fusion / metal AM gas control | Low pressure drop MFC (Alicat MCW Whisper MFC) | Minimises pressure loss; preserves chamber flow performance |
| Multi-gas blending (controlled atmospheres) | Programmable gas mixing (Fusion Flow MXM Gas Mixer) | Multi-channel recipe blending with rapid step response |
| Printhead/nozzle pressure stabilisation | Back pressure regulation (Equilibar Back Pressure Regulators) | Holds stable upstream pressure; smooths disturbances |
| Ink recirculation loop control | Micro gear pumping (Longer WT3000 Micro Gear Pump) | Smooth recirculation; handles viscosity + fine particles |
| Ink dosing / make-up injection | Low-flow liquid control (Alicat LC Series Liquid Flow Controller) | Precise additive injection with fast control response |
| Resin / photopolymer vat feed | OEM peristaltic pumping (Longer T100 WX10-14 OEM Peristaltic Pump) | Compact integration; controlled feed; tubing-only wetted path |
| Low-flow precision functional fluids | Micro piston dispensing (Longer MP Series Micro Piston Pump) | Micro-volume precision with long-life cycling |
| Pigmented ink transfer / circulation | Valveless piston pumping (Valveless Piston Pump (CeramPump® range)) | Reduces clog risk; inert fluid path for challenging inks |
| R&D jetting test rigs | Programmable syringe pumping (Longer dLSP 500 Series Syringe Pump) | Repeatable infusion/withdrawal & structured test methods |
| Dew point monitoring (dryer verification) | Dew point sensing (CS Instruments FA 510/515) | Confirms air/N₂ dryness; supports QA and maintenance |
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