Page 41 - Plastics News - January 2024

FEATURE

Space Station (ISS), that can only have and harmful materials is a meaningful tially known as rapid prototyping for
been made via 3D printing processes, way to advance sustainable impact, its foundational application. Faster
and more and more Department of helping companies deliver on com- prototypes mean faster final products,
Defense contracts are going to AM mitments, address consumer expec- which remains a major underscore in
companies. Racing teams are relying tations for more environmentally the value proposition for 3D printing.
on parts-on-demand that lightweight friendly products, and maintain com- More end-use possibilities are com-
more aerodynamic vehicle bodies. pliance with a growing list of global
regulations.
Complex designs like heat exchang-
ers also offer ample opportunity for “In order to truly manufacture sus-
nature-inspired design to be within tainably, products must be designed
reach. with environmental impact front of
mind from the very start. 3D printing
Sustainability, not greenwashing
is a key enabler of the trend toward
The world is focused on sustainability, digital manufacturing for a more sus- ing to market, though, in terms of
and again we’re looking to move away tainable future because of its ability final products, bridge production,
from greenwashing to true impact. to create a circular economy and ac- and spare parts availability. Time-to-
Less waste, lower material usage, celerate design innovation and optimi- market means both new designs and
lower energy consumption, end-of- zation. One example is molded fiber, reduced downtime through faster de-
life recyclability, carbon neutrality — an eco-friendly and biodegradable ployment of spare and replacement
the routes to sustainability planning in alternative to plastic packaging that parts, as 3D printing answers the calls
manufacturing are many. traditionally has been costly to man- of market needs.
ufacture. Recent advances to HP’s While this particular promise of 3D
Molded Fiber Tooling solution make printing has in some ways been ful-
it possible to make more complex filled from the start, offering speedier
geometries and reduce the weight of entry routes to availability, 2024 is
packaging by up to 10%. Addition- poised to push the envelope. More
ally, 70% of manufacturing offcuts can applications, more availability, more
be re-used during the manufacturing customer awareness, and more ma-
process, making it a far more environ- terials portfolios are set to expand the
mentally friendly alternative to tradi- scope of what “time-to-market” can
tional plastic packaging.
mean as AM expands its reach and
“3D printing and key industry part- furthers its adoption.
nerships will continue to break down On-demand production
barriers and make access to molded
In additive manufacturing, companies fiber manufacturing better than ever Nearly a decade ago, the world was
like HP are focusing keenly on sustain- before, pioneering a new era of sus- captivated by headlines claiming that
ability initiatives. tainable packaging solutions capable NASA emailed a wrench to space.
As Mariona Company, global head of of high-quality designs that comple- That’s true, in a way, as the Made In
fiber-based sustainable packaging, HP ment brand aesthetics.” Space team overheard ISS astronauts
Personalization and 3D Printing, ex- In this intersection of advanced manu- wishing they had a specific tool on
plains in an exclusive comment: facturing with a high-impact industry hand, and the CAD file sent up ena-
bled them to print it on the onboard
“Sustainability is not a new trend, but — packaging — the impact of part- 3D printer.
while 75% of companies worldwide nership and reach comes squarely
have made commitments to sustain- into play. The headline and its takeaway high-
able packaging, less than 30% are Faster time-to-market light the beauty of on-demand pro-
well prepared to meet their targets. duction: Get what you want where
Changing our approach to packaging AM has come a long way from its RP and when you need it.
by shifting away from hard-to-recycle roots, as the technology suite was ini- Closer to Earth, this promise is be-

PLASTICS NEWS 4141
January 2024 PLASTICS NEWS