"We identified 3D printing as a possible solution to our requirements and made an estimate of all the parts we could 3D print to see if we could save on production costs and reduce our parts inventory," explains Mathieu Dumora, Project Manager in the Engineering and Infrastructure department at UPSA. "We quickly realized that by using 3D printed parts, we could reduce part weight by 70 percent, which would reduce wear and tear on the machine and thus have a significant impact on its productivity and longevity."

Reducing costs by 95 percent with just one component
This positive assessment led UPSA to invest in a Stratasys Fortus 450mc™ 3D printer, which proved to be an immediate success. The increased efficiency enabled the company to make significant savings in a very short space of time, not least in the area of replacing key components, which Dumora explains was of great importance.

"One machine in our production and packaging line consists of a heavy cast steel arm that is used in the process of gripping and suction opening a folding box so that blister packs can be filled," he explains.

"These arms are heavy, can bend and occasionally fail, which can damage the machine. Using a 3D-printed arm, on the other hand, is safer. The biocompatible ABS-M30i 3D printing material can return to its original shape when bent and if it fails, it can be replaced at minimal cost after a short printing time. This is a huge improvement over an expensive steel arm. In one year alone, we produced 55 of these components and saved 95% of the costs in each case."

Additive manufacturing eliminates the need for time-consuming and expensive visual inspections
UPSA is also using its Fortus 450mc 3D printer to produce a device to improve the child-resistance of the caps on its Efferalgan (paracetamol) product after some of its supplier's caps were found to contain particles that would inevitably have posed a contamination risk to the drug. This device is so effective that it has enabled UPSA to completely dispense with the time-consuming and expensive visual inspections that were previously used.

"We have developed a system that removes particles by sucking them in and blowing them away," says Dumora. "We examine the extracted air and place particles in the caps from time to time to test their effectiveness. Thanks to additive manufacturing, we can produce this solution ourselves and develop it quickly and cost-effectively through regular new designs."

Part consolidation contributes to enormous savings in the first year
UPSA has also made significant savings in the production of camera mounts on the production line by using additive manufacturing with Stratasys.
"We use track-and-trace coding for our packaging. To ensure that they are printed correctly, we have a camera above each one," explains Dumora. "One of our designers used the Fortus 450mc to print the required shape before using it to produce 22 pieces - one for each machine. Before this innovation, an assembly of 27 parts was required. The new design now consists of just two parts, which has allowed us to significantly reduce production time and costs."

"The Fortus 450mc is an absolute win for those of us who use it and makes our work much easier. However, its immediate positive impact is ultimately most evident in the fact that the investment has more than paid for itself in its first year of use," concludes Dumora.

"We continue to see an increasing demand for 3D printed tools, production parts and spare parts for industrial machinery," said Andy Middleton, President at Stratasys EMEA. "The speed with which UPSA has integrated our 3D printer into production and achieved such a large and quantifiable ROI is a testament to how manufacturers in most industry segments can quickly and cost-effectively overcome challenges on the production line with this technology."

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