Page 43 - Food&Drink magazine Feb-Mar 2023

because it provides tools that encourage new improvements, creative thinking, and the means to conduct research and develop prototypes more cost-effectively.
Within the food and beverage industry, there are two specific areas where 3D printing is helping organisations to explore new innovations: part manufacturing, and product design and development.
PART MANUFACTURING
3D printing provides manufacturers and engineers the tools to apply design thinking to parts. They can experiment with different composites and find stronger, more resilient materials to print machine parts that lead to less breakages and increased machine productivity.
The capacity to 3D print also lets engineers rapidly create prototype designs that will improve or add further value for production lines and organisations.
PRODUCT DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT
The innovation 3D printing provides the food and beverage industry does not end with keeping the production line operational, it can also play a critical role in bringing new products to market.
By combining durable end use materials with the speed to manufacture using 3D printers, companies have the ability to pivot quickly to consumer demand.
For example, customer research might suggest the perfect chip packet size and weight is different to the traditional product; however, the cost and speed of traditional manufacturing makes it almost impossible for the manufacturer to react quickly and cost effectively.
By using 3D printing to design and construct the bagging shoot the manufacturer can create custom bag sizes fast, providing the company with an effective and efficient solution for its products while pivoting quickly to address customer demand and ensure a competitive advantage in the market.
OPPOSITE & LEFT: 3D printing onsite can help to reduce the carbon footprint of manufacturers
✷ ABOUTTHEAUTHOR
INDUSTRY 4.0
Matthew Hunter is
Konica Minolta’s national
manager of emerging
technology with over
20 years of industry
experience. Matthew is
responsible for developing the go-to-market and sales strategies for Konica Minolta’s innovative products, including its additive manufacturing and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) portfolios. Matthew works with partners and industry leaders to educate and build solutions to improve customer productivity and cost- efficiency, and gain further benefits through innovative technologies.
“ To date, end-use 3D printed parts have been a more cost effective, faster produced alternative, which improves flexibility and in-house capabilities to manufacture parts and increase the control and productivity of operations.”
3IMPROVED SUSTAINABILITY
3D printing also lets the food and beverage industry reduce and tackle the issue of waste, for example using 3D printing to repurpose food waste into biodegradable plastics.
The process of 3D printing can also be a more sustainable method of manufacturing.
In combination with manufacturing only what is needed, 3D printing onsite can help to reduce the carbon footprint of manufacturers by minimising the need and frequency of using transport and logistics services. This in turn contributes to the overall reduction of carbon emissions involved in the food and beverage industry.
Incorporating 3D printing into the food and beverage industry has many benefits ranging from production to consumption.
It lets the industry create stronger, more resilient operations with improved efficiency, enhances the possibilities for companies to think creatively, and addresses the global concern around sustainability. ✷
Sensors
ANNIVERSARY
th
1992-2022
The Hygienic Specialist!
Flexible Conduits Energy Chain Flexible Cables
Bearings Glands Connectors
www.treotham.com.au | 1300 65 75 64 info@treotham.com.au
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www.foodanddrinkbusiness.com.au | February/March 2023 | Food&Drink business | 43
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