3D printing made easy: Schubert reveals cost-effective digital warehouse solution at Anuga FoodTec

05 May 2022 --- Schubert Additive Solutions launched an end-to-end 3D printing solution at Anuga FoodTec 2022 in Cologne, Germany, last week. The Partbox printer is connected to a digital warehouse, allowing customers to print machinery parts at their facilities securely and in a time- and cost-effective way. 

PackagingInsights speaks to Marcus Schindler, Schubert Additive Solutions’ CEO, to understand what this “industry-first” printing solution can offer and how it trumps physical storage systems.

“The Partbox is the first part streaming platform in the world, allowing the customer to print parts on-demand when and where they want them. A part streaming platform combines a digital warehouse, printer and the printing material, which we developed with a partner.”

“What are the benefits of a digital warehouse? A digital warehouse reduces the cycle time enormously for new parts, spare parts and new format parts because you don’t have to store a part physically anymore. You eliminate all the transportation and reduce the cycle and delivery time for the parts, saving time and cost by avoiding storing the parts physically.”

Schindler says what makes the Partbox special is that it’s the only digital warehouse on the market that makes it possible to print the parts directly in the customer’s facility. This benefit means customers no longer require a supplier as the parts can be printed easily on-demand through a simple ‘click and print.’

“You search for the parts in the platform and click on the desired part, and the printer starts to print. So it’s a whole package we offer to our customers,” says Schindler.Marcus Schindler, Schubert Additive Solutions’ CEO, speaking at Anuga FoodTec 2022.

Plug-and-play
Moreover, the on-demand process is simplified compared to other printing solutions that only offer the 3D model without a connected digital warehouse. 

“We focus on the whole printing job, including not only the 3D model but all the adjusted parameters for the part, like the material and acceleration, and this together is the printing job, which is like the DNA of a part, and this DNA we treasure in our Partbox,” explains Schindler.

“You do not need a supplier, which makes it so easy to use. It’s a ‘plug-and-play’ system, so you only have one cable inside, you plug it in, and after 90 seconds, you are connected to the digital warehouse, so it’s very easy to use for customers that are not interested in a 3D printer but in the parts.”

Intellectual property protection
A major industry concern is intellectual property protection and secure data transfers. Schubert Additive Solutions believes that the intellectual property owner should decide when and where their parts can be printed and be confident in secure data transfers.

“Intellectual property is one of the most important things when you send files instead of material around the world. In our opinion, the owner of the intellectual property should have their hands on the 3D printing job because they should decide who can print it and how often,” continues Schindler.Inside Schubert Additive Solutions’ Partbox 3D printer.

“In other digital warehouses, it’s not possible because maybe you give the 3D model part away or sell the 3D model once and you don’t have your hands on it anymore. The Partbox keeps your hands on it and, as the user and owner of the intellectual property, you can decide who can print a part and how often.”

The company created an end-to-end solution for secure data transfers in which the Partbox is not integrated into a network.

“Data transfer is also very important, so you have to be very secure with the data transfer, and that’s why the Partbox is not integrated into a network but has a SIM card inside. We’ve also built a one-to-one connectivity from the digital warehouse to the Partbox, which makes data transfer possible only in one direction – there’s no USB port, and the only way is through our digital warehouse, which ensures a very secure means of data transfer.”

Schubert’s construction project
In other recent news, the packaging industry machinery company announced it would construct a €38 million (US$40.1 million) facility in the company’s largest building project to date. The packaging machine manufacturer’s new assembly hall with an office wing is expected to be completed by June 2023.

Environmental sustainability played a major role in planning the new building, highlights company owner Ralf Schubert. “We want to produce and manufacture in an entirely CO2-neutral way by the end of 2023, so the building will be equipped with a sustainable energy concept,” he says. 

After the geothermal energy already installed on the company premises became unapproved due to new regulations, the German manufacturer decided to use ice storage technology for heating and cooling. 

A photovoltaic system with an output of roughly 400 kWp will also be installed on the roof of the new building. “The objective is for the new hall to be operated in a climate-neutral manner,” explains Schubert.

By Joshua Poole