PACKAGING
3D PRINTING AND EOAT FOR PACKAGING
Packaging lines fail at the tooling, not the robot. A gripper built for one box size becomes the constraint the moment the product mix changes, and a case erector that jams costs more in downtime than it ever saved in capital. We design and print tooling that is configured to the line instead of the other way around, from zoned vacuum grippers that cover every pack size to carton erectors built for your blank.
Everything is printed in PA12 nylon at our own facility, which keeps the tooling light enough for fast cycles and cheap enough to revise when the product changes.
What We Make For Packaging:
- Zoned vacuum tooling for mixed case and tray sizes
- Carton erecting tooling built around your blank
- Palletizing heads for single, multi and offset picks
- Bag and pouch handling on flexible packaging lines
- Change parts, guides and format sets for the whole line
Related Builds
Documented tools from our floor, with the constraint and the result behind each one.
Printed Tooling Against The Alternative
| Factor | Printed PA12 nylon | Machined or catalogue tooling |
|---|---|---|
| Mixed pack sizes | One zoned tool covers the range | A tool per size, or compromise on all of them |
| Weight on the robot | 50 to 70 percent lighter than machined equivalents | Eats payload that could be product |
| Revision when product changes | Reprint in days | Re machine, or live with it |
| Cost of a bespoke head | No tooling charge | Setup and machining time |
Where This Work Ships
Most packaging orders go to Ontario, Toronto, Mississauga, Quebec and Alberta. Everything is printed at our Mississauga facility and shipped as domestic freight, with transit confirmed alongside the quote. Materials are covered on our PA12 nylon page and the processes on 3D printing services.
End of Arm Tooling for Packaging
We do not only print components, we design and build the robotic tooling that handles the product. Every tool below is engineered here and printed in the same nylon.
Questions
Can one gripper handle several box sizes?
Yes, with zoning. The gripping face is divided into independently valved zones, so the tool activates only the area under the case being picked. That is what lets a single head run single, double, triple and offset picks.
Do you build carton erectors?
Yes. Our Automatic Carton Erector tooling is printed for your specific blank, which is what makes the difference between a case that erects every time and one that jams on the third shift.
How does printed tooling help cycle time?
Weight. A lighter head lets the robot accelerate harder within the same payload rating, and on end of line equipment that usually translates directly into cases per minute.
Can you handle bags and pouches?
Yes, with dedicated bag tooling. Flexible film peels away from ordinary cups under acceleration, so the tool needs a wide, high flow face and geometry that supports the bag as it lifts.
What happens when our product mix changes?
Usually a configuration change rather than a new tool: different zones, different cup layout, or printed change parts. When a genuinely new tool is needed, printing keeps that a days long job rather than a capital project.
Do you quote from our drawings?
Yes. Send the case dimensions, weights, pick patterns and rate, and we will come back with a tooling proposal and a price.