Smart Molding International 3-2021

additive manufacturing 21 www.smart-molding.com Packaging Visual Prototypes You Won’t Believe Are 3D Printed The new packaging solution from Stratasys enables designers to easily produce complex, high-transparency, full-color, high-fidelity packaging pro - totypes that accurately simulate fi - nal packaging including realistic color combinations, textures, transparency, and flexibility. This includes the ability to print simulated glass bottles and add “labels” with sharp text and images that meet 2D graphics labeling standards. Furthermore, designers can incorpo - rate simulated products or fillings, like cosmetics, makeup or liquids, for the ultimate in realistic rapid prototyping. Designers can now create packaging prototypes so real-looking, it’s hard to believe they’re not the real thing. “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 – today the possibilities are endless,” said Jeremy Garrard, director of market development, design and R&D for Quadpack, a global packaging provider headquartered in Barcelona, Spain. “Along with the work we do for our QLine range and our customers, the models we produce helps towards in - fluencing and inspiring 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 pack - aging, complete with samples.” The Packaging software solution will soon be available through GrabCAD Print and is compatible with Stratasys J8™ Prime, Stratasys J7 Series™ and Stratasys J55™ Prime 3D printers. J55 Prime Extends Prototyping Possibilities The J55 Prime builds on the technol - ogy of the Stratasys J55™ 3D printer introduced in 2020. This new system goes beyond full-color printing with new materials that enable tactile, textual, and sensory capabilities. In addition to the existing highly realis - tic visual models, the printer utilizes multiple materials that cater to design, functional and biocompatible proto - typing, such as: • Elastico™ Clear and Elastico™ Black for flexible, soft-touch printing that ac - curately simulates the look, feel and function of rubber-like products. • Digital ABS™ Ivory for high impact designs such as molds, jigs, fixtures and functional prototypes. • Vero™ ContactClear, a translucent material designed for prolonged skin or bodily contact such as medical de - vices, sport wear, or wearables. • Ultra-opaque colors, enabled by the VeroUltra™ family of materials, introduces 2D level graphics and text, vibrant and accurate colors with better plastic simulation, raising the bar in 3D printed multi-material models. The J55 Prime is office-friendly, with a compact design, odor-free and quiet operation. Researchers Accelerate Innovation with the Power of PolyJet The research package provides us - ers with increased flexibility over the print process, allowing them to explore and experiment with additive manu - facturing and accelerate innovation in the lab. Innovators can now use the materials to print with air voids and liquid or embed an object into a print. Truly pushing the boundaries of what is possible, researchers can also use this extended set of materials and ca - pabilities to experiment with 4D print - ing – the process by which a 3D printed object undergoes a transformation due to the influence of another material or outside element. Combined with GrabCAD Voxel Print™, software users can define the data volumetrically for each 3D voxel throughout the entire model. This allows for an advanced level of control at a microscopic scale, enabling higher resolutions, fine-tuned color placement and shore value tran - sitions within one part. Stratasys www.stratasys.com Stratasys J55™ Prime 3D printer (All photos: Stratasys)