The Northern Lights Technology Center provides your business with the prototypes it needs. The Center was created at the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Natural Resources Research Institute to provide rapid prototyping services for industry and University research.

We create accurate, detailed parts and prototypes, and you'll beat your competition to market with the highest quality, most innovative products you've ever produced.

Check out our 3D printing capabilities and look at our ZCorp Spectrum 510. You receive a wider array of colors and greater resolution with our same great services. This house and the skull were created on the Spectrum 510. The skull is one type of medical model that can be created before surgery is started on a patient. Using prototypes before surgery may reduce operating room and anesthesia time for a patient.

Learn about our award winning projects on our awards page. We are Gold Partner certified in the metal casting of parts, specializing in aluminum and zinc parts. We can also provide you with silicone models.

Now we have 3D DuraForm Flex plastic—a flexible plastic material for use with our SLS system. This is an elastomeric plastic with outstanding rubberlike performance characteristics used to produce functional prototypes or end-use parts where flexible characteristics are a key requirement. Additionally, we have DuraForm EX plastic with the toughness of injection-molded ABS and polypropylene and suitable for snap-fit designs, living hinges, and functional prototypes that requirement end-use performance properties. Another new material, FR-106, is available and exhibits excellent fire retardancy without compromising mechanical properties. Our materials specifications are listed on our machine pages in pdf format for downloading.

If you don’t see an application that fits your needs, contact us—we’ll work with you to get your prototypes done and on time.

Contact Program Director Steve Kossett for design information and price quotes on your parts. We now accept MasterCard and Visa for faster payment processing.

Our clients include 3Dimensional Resins, 3D Systems, 3M, Advantage Prototype Systems, Agile Manufacturing, Cirrus Design, Digitec, Donaldson Company, General Pattern, Marvin Windows, Queens University, Reptron Manufacturing Services, University of Minnesota, and Vista Technologies. Note: This is only a partial list of clients due to confidentiality agreements.