---
title: "PRELIMINARY MARKET ENGAGEMENT for: Customized Silicone & Colour 3D Printer"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-05d644"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05d644"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05d644.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05d644.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Planning"
buyer: "UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM (THE)"
published: "2025-10-29"
---

# PRELIMINARY MARKET ENGAGEMENT for: Customized Silicone & Colour 3D Printer

Buyer: UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM (THE)  
Current stage: Planning  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-05d644

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[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05d644.json)

## Summary

The University of Nottingham is seeking expressions of interest for a preliminary market engagement regarding the procurement of a customised 3D printing system, specifically designed for multi-material silicone and colour deposition. This procurement process, currently in the planning stage, is targeted at enhancing the university's research and prototyping capabilities. The process is expected to conclude by 1st June 2026 when the system should become fully operational. Interested parties must express interest by 12th November 2025. The procurement falls under the goods category, with the university acting as a public authority in the sub-central government sector, and the anticipated location for delivery is Nottingham, UK.

This tender presents lucrative opportunities for businesses involved in manufacturing and supplying advanced printing and graphics equipment, particularly those specialising in laboratory and precision equipment. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with experience in building and integrating sophisticated 3D printing technologies could find this tender particularly well-suited to their offerings. The University’s requirement for a system that supports flexible printhead operation and temperature management indicates a substantial opportunity for growth and market presence for manufacturers in the 3D printing sector.

## Notice

This is a request for market interest for the build, supply, installation, commissioning, and training of a customized 3D printing system designed for multi-material silicone and colour deposition. The system will be used for research and prototyping purposes, enabling accurate deposition and controlled curing of silicone-based formulations with optional integration of coloured materials. It must support flexible printhead operation, temperature management, and programmable printing strategies. The equipment should be compatible with existing laboratory infrastructure and allow for future upgrades (e.g., additional material printheads, support-material module, UV curing, or in-line inspection). The rig is intended to be fully operational by 01/06/2026 to align with ongoing research activities. Further specification information can be obtained by contacting Sabrina.Cox@Nottingham.ac.uk Expressions of interest will only be considered up to and including the 12th of November 2025.

### Planning Information

Expressions of interest and further specification information can be obtained by contacting Sabrina Cox, University of Nottingham Procurement Partner for Engineering using email address Sabrina.Cox@Nottingham.ac.uk
Expressions of interest will only be considered up to and including the 12th of November 2025.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/069389-2025 |
| Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Not Specified |
| Procurement method details | Not specified |
| Tender suitability | SME |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Planning |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 29 Oct 2025 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 12 Nov 2025 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 1 Dec 2025 - 30 Jun 2027 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £125,000 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Planning |
| Lots status | Planning |
| Awards status | Not specified |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM (THE) |
| Locality | NOTTINGHAM |
| Post town | Nottingham |
| Postcode | NG7 2NR |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLF East Midlands (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLF1 Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire |
| ITL 3 | TLF14 Nottingham |
| Local authority | Nottingham |
| Electoral ward | Lenton & Wollaton East |
| Westminster constituency | Nottingham South |
| Delivery location | TLF14 Nottingham |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 30 - Office and computing machinery, equipment and supplies except furniture and software packages
- 38 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)
- 42 - Industrial machinery

### Codes

- 30232100 - Printers and plotters
- 38000000 - Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)
- 42962000 - Printing and graphics equipment

## Release History

- 29 Oct 2025 at 13:45 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/069389-2025

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/069389-2025
  29th October 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents
- https://www.nottingham.ac.uk

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05d644. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05d644.json.