All-round advantage

8 May 2014



Eric Bredin began working in the 3D printing industry for Objet over four years ago, until the company merged with Stratasys. Now territory manager for France, Iberia and French-speaking Africa at Stratasys, he tells Packaging Today about the benefits that the rapidly developing technology is already bringing to the packaging design process.


It was not long ago that '3D printing' was a little-known term. Today, it is a household name and an accepted technology in the design phase, with more and more packaging design companies implementing 3D printing into their workflow.

By its very nature, packaging design demands robust prototypes that can withstand the stress of functional testing. 3D printing enables packaging designers to agree 2D designs with their customers and to 3D-print functional speciality prototype parts in a diverse range of shapes, materials and, now, in colour. Designers today are experiencing a whole new landscape where they can bring their packaging concepts to life in a matter of hours and, most importantly, in a way that mirrors the final product.

The ability to put parts that look, feel and function like the final product in a customer's hand is a huge advantage - there is no extra visualisation required of the customer.

Printing in detail
Like all industries, the packaging design industry strives for new design methods that save time, while retaining high quality. We have seen 3D printing play an increasingly essential role in the design concepts for validation before full production.

Stratasys PolyJet 3D printers are the ideal solution for producing professional models in unparalleled detail. Based on traditional inkjet printing, the technology builds models layer by layer from liquid photopolymers in fine droplets that are immediately cured with ultraviolet light. Our Objet Connex 3D Printers can print as many as 14 different material properties simultaneously in a single part and can print up to 16 micron layers - the highest printing resolution in the market - enabling packaging designers to realise concept models in ultra-fine detail with a smooth surface finish.

Stratasys recently launched the world's first, and only, colour, multi-material 3D printer - the Objet500 Connex3. It features a triple-jetting technology that combines droplets of three base materials to produce parts with virtually unlimited combinations of rigid, flexible, and transparent materials, as well as colour digital materials - all in a single print run. This ability to achieve the characteristics of an assembled part without assembly or painting is a significant time-saver. It helps design teams validate designs and make good decisions earlier before committing to manufacturing, reducing costs and bringing products to market faster.

Blow mould efficiency
Packaging designers often use blow moulding to manufacture plastics parts such as bottles, cosmetic containers, dispensing systems and intricate closures. Manufacturing these items is rapid and cost efficient, however, prototyping tends to be slow and costly. In the past, blow moulding companies have largely avoided prototyping due to high cost and long lead times.

Blow mould design and the specification of process parameters require skill and precision. A small change in the pinch-off or vent design, die temperature or blow pressure can dramatically affect the moulding results. Prototyping enables designers to validate these parameters and accelerate design approval.

Our PolyJet or FDM Technology enables design teams to 3D-print blow mould prototypes faster and at a lower cost than traditional manufacturing, in near-production quality.

Recently, a container manufacturer challenged us to reduce both its cost and time for the development of blow moulded prototypes. Specifically, the goal was to prototype near-production quality parts in five days, rather than seven weeks, and to do it at a lower cost.

The company selected a bottle 6 inches (152mm) tall and 3 inches (76mm) in diameter for the pilot project. Using Fortus PC material for the tool cavity and a machined aluminium mould base, the blow mould was designed and built in just two days. With only minor changes to the tool design and moulding process, the entire process was completed in less than five days, and the moulded prototypes met the criteria for near-production quality.

New era
Today, we are in exciting times. 3D printing enables the everyday designer to make significant changes in the design stages of products we have grown to love, quickly and more efficiently than ever before.

For packaging design companies in particular, this technology opens up new possibilities that could enhance their existing processes, extend their service offering and generate new revenue streams.

www.stratasys.com



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