FAB Lab Airedale has gone to the aid of a global electronics company.

The lab, based at Leeds City College Keighley Campus, has used 3D printing to produce components for Premier Farnell.

It produced around 800 pieces, using computer-aided design files supplied by Farnell, within five working days.

"This illustrates how education can partner with business for mutual benefit," said Chris Stott, business operations manager at the lab.

"The facilities available through Fab Lab Airedale offer genuine solutions to real world manufacturing problems.

"Premier Farnell was developing a new piece of hardware which required plastic supports manufacturing. These would normally be injection moulded but the cost of producing the tooling to do this is extremely high, making it impractical for small volumes."