3D Printing Blow Molding-Perfect Choice for Small Batch Packaging Production

Plastic packaging is very common in our daily life: bottles, food containers, beverage bottles, medicine bottles and so on. It is full of shelves and garbage cans in our storage room. Blow moulding process can achieve large-scale production of thin-walled hollow plastic bottles (after filling customer products). In the process of blow moulding, hot air is blown into precisely calibrated metal molds, and the waiting thermoplastic materials can show the shape of the mold. Because of the inherent heat and pressure of blow moulding process, metal moulds manufactured by traditional machines are needed for mass production. However, the 3D printing technology based on PolyJet of Stratasys can be used in small batch production.

Stratasys 3D Printing Mould Installed on Plasel Blow Molding Machine

Global supplier Plasel Precision Plastics of such packaging specialize in designing and manufacturing corresponding types of packaging for various industries and customer applications. Recently, one of Plasel's customers needs to prototype a new packaging design to ensure that it can be applied to automatic transmission systems. Plasel uses Stratasys 3D printing technology to produce a blow moulding die for the production of 100 packaging prototypes. Compared with the traditional blow moulding prototype processing method, choosing 3D printing not only saves time (90% faster), but also reduces cost (94%). 3D printing blow moulds can be produced in small batches in two days. "If customers urgently need to make prototypes to promote new products to market, then Stratasys 3D printing blow moulds are absolutely the best choice." Nir Hadar, manager of Plasel R&D Department explained.

Produce 100 Blow Mold Packaging by Stratasys 3D Printing Mould

In a word, 3D printing blow moulds can provide a rapid design verification process before mass production of metal moulds. Modifications to the design (including caps, snaps and hinges) are also easy and inexpensive. In addition, these prototypes can be used to test shape, fitness and functionality.

Plasel Contrasts Stratasys PolyJet 3D Printing Mould with Traditional Metal Mould

* Take 100 finished parts for example