Scaling Up Innovative Printing Capabilities Through Industrial Automation

A consumer product company required a high-speed automated printing system capable of mass customization on a unique product line. Their existing prototype solution could print custom designs, but was not scalable for full production volumes. The company needed a system that could produce upwards of 100,000 customized units per 8-hour shift.

The Boston Engineering team was brought in to develop a proof-of-concept prototype for an innovative printing technology platform designed for high-speed, high-volume production. We took a multi-phase research and design approach to create the new print technology itself as well as integrate it with advanced commercial automation solutions.

Key factors addressed included matching the required product chemistry, developing feeding and handling mechanisms, and automating the full production line for maximum throughput. We collaborated closely with the company’s industrial automation supplier to seamlessly combine our printing solution with their high-speed equipment.

The final deliverable was a fully functional production prototype system capable of being configured to meet the 100,000 units per shift target volume. The company can test and validate this automated customized printing line for several months.

While the proof-of-concept printer could not initially hit maximum throughput, the integrated system successfully demonstrated the ability to mass produce customized units at volumes never before possible. This breakthrough opened up new potential product lines and business opportunities for mass personalization.

Notably, the product utilizes a sustainability-driven printing technology that eliminates shipping liquids, significantly reducing the carbon footprint. A truck that would ordinarily carry 100,000 traditional bottles can instead transport 2.1 million of these stackable, waterless units – drastically cutting shipping weight and CO2 emissions.