Stratasys unveils rapid 3D-printed prototyping solution for packaging designers

17 Jun 2021 --- Polymers company Stratasys is unveiling a rapid 3D-printed prototyping solution enabling packaging designers to model complex, full-color packaging for cosmetics, personal care and food.

Its high-fidelity prototypes accurately simulate final packaging, including realistic color combinations, textures, transparency and flexibility. 

“Packaging designers today are facing a challenge where they have to wait a long time to get a physical representation of their design – or sometimes even skip it completely,” Lior Elgali, packaging product manager at Stratasys, tells PackagingInsights.

Packaging prototypes are crucial for the understanding and communication of the appearance of a package, he explains.

“It’s more than just a shape – packaging design is all about the graphics, colors, and labels.”

“Our packaging solution helps companies by bringing all the elements to life in one 3D full-color print, including the accurate shape, transparencies and graphics all at once, right out of the printer.”

The packaging software will soon be available through GrabCAD Print and is compatible with Stratasys J8 Prime, Stratasys J7 and Stratasys J55 Prime 3D printers. 

Showcasing prototypes
This prototype function is valuable to designers and marketing as it can be done in-house and take days instead of weeks like with traditional outsourcing, Elgali details.

With a simple workflow, packaging designers can get their samples printed and verified with focus groups, on-shelf testing, and stakeholders – when they need it to make informed decisions during the process, not after, he notes.The prototype solution helps companies bring packaging elements to life in 3D full-color print, including shape, transparencies and graphics.

“This packaging campaign is focused on prototyping, while packaging production is definitely on our roadmap. We are in the process of exploring and evaluating real production opportunities with key manufacturers in the packaging industry,” Elgali adds.

With PolyJet printing on the J8 Prime, J7 Series and J55 Prime series 3D printers, designers can easily produce complex, high-transparency, full-color 3D packaging with integrated 2D graphics and labels all in one print, the company explains.

Using simple GrabCAD Print click-and-print workflows, prototypes go from simulated on-screen products to full 3D-printed samples in just one day.

“Ultra-realistic models make the idea real for our clients, enabling an accelerated decision-making process. We are a long way from the bland all-white models we produced prior to 3D printing,” comments Jeremy Garrard, director of market development, design and R&D for Quadpack. 

“Along with the work we do for our QLine range and customers, the models we produce help influence and inspire the industry. As an example, we printed over 500 pieces for #QPPackfuture, our annual trend report, in which the team presents its vision for the future of cosmetics packaging, complete with samples.”

Packaging prototypes are crucial for understanding and communicating packaging design.

Wide-ranging capabilities
The multi-material printing capabilities of the J-Series printers combined with VeroUltra materials give designers the ability to print in over 640,000 unique colors. 

The solution can also simulate realistic textures like fabric and wood, and create glass or plastic-like transparency with smooth color gradients. 

For example, VeroUltra material allows designers to print simulated glass bottles and add “labels” with sharp text and images that meet 2D graphics labeling standards, the company says. 

Furthermore, designers can incorporate simulated products or fillings, like cosmetics, makeup or liquids, for realistic rapid prototyping. 

“Novelty is key in packaging, so designers want to create something that will allow their product to catch the consumer’s eye,” says Shamir Shoham, vice president of design for Stratasys. 

“With the ability to print glass and plastic-like transparency with high-contrast, sharp, bright graphics plus the ability to simulate liquid filling, designers are delivering realistic packaging prototypes that lead to earlier marketing assets as well as better and faster decision making by stakeholders.”

Economic and eco-friendly
According to Elgali, making the prototype in-house using a 3D full-color printer saves time as well as money. 

“This includes fewer emails and phone calls, waiting on traditional outsource vendors and more. This also removes all the overhead that usually comes with multiple processes and reduces the risk of both design errors that would cost more to fix when the design is already finished and risk of the design leaking prior to the product launch.”

“By its very nature, additive manufacturing saves time, money and material with its advanced prototyping models printed on-demand. Visual prototypes typically have a long-term value and are used for future comparison purposes rather than just going to waste.”

By Kristiana Lalou