Formlabs 3D Printing Boosts the Fast-Mosting Consumer Goods Industry
Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) provider Unilever and Serioplast Global Services are leveraging Formlabs’ 3D printing technology to overhaul the conventional process of developing and testing new bottle designs. As per Formlabs, the journey from conceptualizing a design to mass-producing plastic bottles has been arduous and costly. The conventional method primarily involves blow molding, requiring intricate metal tooling and specialized equipment. This process is characterized by prolonged production cycles and substantial expenses, posing challenges for companies in the FMCG sector. With room for improvement in packaging development, Unilever and Serioplast partnered to explore the feasibility of using 3D-printed molds for low-volume stretch blow molding (SBM). This approach aimed to streamline prototyping and pilot testing processes, reducing lead time by six weeks and costs by up to 90%. “A consumer goods company like Unilever must be on the market as soon as possible or before your competitors. You need to offer the best product at the best price in the shortest time possible to the consumers. 3D printing helps us speed up this process,” said, Stefano Cademartiri, CAD & Prototyping Owner, Unilever. The mold 3D printed with Rigid 10K Resin is manually polished and then assembled into a metal frame. Photo via Formlabs. [...]
Kimya’s ABS-ESD Filament
Kimya's ABS-ESD Filament Join us to learn about the 3D filament Kimya ABS-ESD, thanks to which those in the industry can produce and use ESD-safe parts providing secure operations in explosive zones, cleanroom environments, and manufacturing plants of sensitive industrial devices.
Using Mastercam Multiaxis Deburr Toolpath in 3-Axis Machines
This post will show you how to utilize the Mastercam Multiaxis Deburr toolpath in 3-axis machines to eliminate the need for secondary deburring operations. Some parts have intersecting features that would normally require a machinist to deburr and break the sharp corners by hand after machining. The Mastercam multiaxis Deburr toolpath can eliminate this entire secondary process. Here's how it works Begin by selecting the Deburr toolpath from the Multiaxis drop-down. In this example, we used a 5/16th lollipop cutter for the tool. Next, select the entire part as your machining geometry to ensure proper collision control, set your edge definition to User-defined, and select the edges you wish to deburr. The color display will change after selection allowing you to easily double-check your work. Now set an edge break of .01”, set your tool axis control to 3-axis in the Z direction and double-check your clearances. Lastly, you can set up some basic linking values and generate your toolpath. Checking your toolpath in backplot and verify shows clean motion with smooth entry and exit without collisions giving you a perfect .01” edge break around your edges. As you can see, utilizing this Mastercam Multi-axis Deburr toolpath will not only save you time [...]
Freeform Recreates a 2,000-year-old Face
Almost two millennia ago, a man in Roman Britain was executed by crucifixion. His skeleton was discovered in 2017 in Cambridgeshire, England. And now, thanks to the expert work of forensic imaging specialist Joe Mullins and Oqton’s Freeform software, we can see his face. Mullins is a professor at George Mason University in Virginia in the United States. He also works for the forensic imaging unit of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The Producers of the BBC documentary turned to Joe for his expertise in forensics for this historic case. “It’s one of the coolest, most remarkable cases I’ve ever been involved with by far,” Mullins says. A facial reconstruction of a crucifixion victim. Image courtesy of Impossible Factual. The details of the case are gruesome. The skeleton was discovered in a cemetery within a Roman settlement. The remains were unusual in that the heel was penetrated by a nail and the legs indicated the man was bound and shackled. According to radiocarbon dating, he died between 130 and 360 C.E. and was probably in his mid-30s. DNA tests suggested brown hair and brown eyes. “They had a really captivating picture of the nail going through the heel, [...]
HP Collaborates with 3D Printing Artist
HP 3D printing helps to unleash new levels of creative expression from the human heart to a Triceratops HP has showcased a collaboration with Amy Karle, a leading artist, provocateur and futurist. Regarded as one of the most influential women in the 3D printing industry today and one of the BBC’s 100 Women, Amy Karle is leveraging the power of 3D printing to reinvent creating art in amazing new ways. HP’s 3D Printing & Digital Manufacturing organization and HP Labs are working together with Amy Karle to provide the most advanced 3D printing solutions to make her creative art expression a reality. “I love the exploration and development that 3D printing offers: a new opportunity for thinking, a new way to reshape what we create, and a completely new approach to expression in which digital, physical and biological systems are interwoven,” said Amy Karle. “HP 3D Printing enables me to bring this vision to life by opening up new artistic possibilities not achievable before.” Amy Karle’s mission is to positively impact others, raise consciousness and contribute to social, political, and technical development by making and sharing her work. As an artist and designer, Karle uses HP Multi Jet Fusion technologies which include the [...]
What is Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) and Why Should You Use It?
Electrostatic discharge (ESD) is commonly known as “static electricity.” These discharges occur when an electric charge is built up and then rapidly transferred from one object to another which is usually accompanied by a visible spark. An electrostatic discharge can have negative consequences, where components can become damaged or lead to unsafe circumstances. These are most commonly in (but certainly not limited to) electronics manufacturing. For example, small electronics can be destroyed by ESD with voltages lower than 10 volts of static electricity where flammable liquids or gases are handled Therefore, manufacturers must adhere to ESD protocols to avoid any possible buildup of static electricity to ensure product quality, as well as, maintain a safe working environment. These protocols might include: Equipment handled inside an ESD Protected Area (EPA) Protective gear worn by personnel to dissipate a static charge to the ground Components are protected with specialized packaging that is made from static-dissipative (AKA ESD-safe) materials Expanding on that last bullet point, a material is considered ESD-safe when it reduces the transfer of static electricity. Its purpose is to avoid any electrostatic discharge that could affect the components surrounding it. Since plastics are insulators, they have a charge and a high electrical resistance. [...]