CUSTOM NPI TOOLING
HP Multi Jet Fusion helps reduce line downtime in custom NPI tooling

Customer at a glance

HP Inc. creates life-changing technology solutions for people and companies all over the world. Through its portfolio of printers, PCs, mobile devices, solutions, and services, HP engineers experiences that amaze.

The challenge

Manufacturers wanted to find a way to quickly set up the HP Sprocket media packaging line and address two different packaging sizes to reduce line downtime for conveyor bucket changeovers.

The quick-change conveyor bucket was originally externally Injection Molded, but the process required multiple Lock Out Tag Out (LOTO) cycles to access all buckets, and the previous changeover time for the inserts/conveyor bucket was between 1.5 and 2 hours, with line changeover times taking between 2.5 and 3 hours. HP wanted to reduce this line downtime for conveyor bucket changeovers.

Solution

INDUSTRY
Industrial

SECTOR
Machinery and equipment

MATERIAL
HP 3D High Reusability1 PA 12

  • Design freedom.

    HP MJF’s design capabilities allowed the bucket to be redesigned by adding interlocking inserts for various widths. This optimized design helps reduce the need for multiple iterations, which in turn reduces changeover times.

  • Reduced line changeover times.

    Manufacturing these parts with HP MJF resulted in a decrease in inserts/conveyor bucket changeover times to 30 minutes, and a decrease in the line changeover time to 1.5 hours, thus increasing line efficiency.

To learn more about how HP 3D Printing supports high-volume packaging production for the Americas Product Completion Center, click here.

1a Based on using recommended packing densities and compared to selective laser sintering (SLS) technology, offers excellent reusability without sacrificing mechanical performance. Tested according to ASTM D638, ASTM D256, ASTM D790, and ASTM D648 and using a 3D scanner for dimensional accuracy. Testing monitored using statistical process controls. HP Jet Fusion 3D Printing Solutions using HP 3D High Reusability PA 12 provide up to 80% post-production surplus powder reusability, producing functional parts batch after batch. For testing, material is aged in real printing conditions and powder is tracked by generations (worst case for reusability). Parts are then made from each generation and tested for mechanical properties and accuracy.