Future Links February 12th
Here are our daily links with the most important news from the printing industry. Today they feature Source 3D’s military keepsakes, the British House of Lord’s decision to use paper, a major grant for a new electrospray 3D printing technique, the costs of irrelevant direct mail, a microwavable pouch that turns into a bowl, a large order of Thinfilm’s NFC tags from a consumer company and sharply increasing demand for packaging in the African market.
Source 3D offers 3D printed military ornaments
Here is another sign that 3D printing has reached the mainstream: 3D content licensing company Source 3D has signed a licensing agreement with the U.S. Army to offer 3D printed personalized ornaments for U.S. Army service members, family and friends. The ornaments will be printed using Color Jet Print (CJP) 3D technology and sold on the MyKeepsake website.
More at TCT
The British House of Lords replaces calfskin with paper
Some traditions are deeply rooted and hard to replace. Inscribing important documents and acts of Parliament on vellum, a parchment made from calfskin, has been one of them. After decades of debates, the upper chamber of Parliament, the House of Lords, is finally moving to replace the calfskin with high-quality archival paper, calling the move, which will come into force in April a necessary and thrifty adaptation to the digital age.
More at The New York Times
Engineer receives major grant for electrospray 3D printing technique
The technology seems promising enough to be supported by a significant amount of funding: Paul Chiarot, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Binghamton, New York, has received a 500,000 USD grant from the National Science Foundation to develop his electrospray 3D printing technique. The technique works a bit like an inkjet printer, only in 3D. Tiny particles in a solvent are sprayed onto a surface, with a high electric charge keeping the particles separated.
More at 3ders
Pace Ready Meals pouch turns into a bowl
Earlier this week, we saw potato chips packaging that turns into a bowl for sharing when opened. Now, Pace Ready Meals has introduced a microwavable pouch for convenient meals that not only self-vents but also turns into a bowl that customers can eat from. This is truly instant food in functional packaging: Neither preparation nor washing the dishes is required.
More at Packaging Digest
Thinfilm receives major order for NFC from consumer good company
The Norwegian company Thinfilm, a leading producer of printed electronics, has received a five-digit order for NFC tags from a consumer brand with fast moving goods. The order show that demand for smart packaging solutions is growing and that NFC tags will be part of the solutions mix.
More at Printed Electronics
African packaging demand to soar
The demand for packaging in African countries is growing rapidly. The rising demand for packaging systems and material is driven by Africa’s growing domestic economies, rising individual incomes, and a rapidly expanding middle-class, which has developed a taste for packaged foods, beverages and consumer products.
More at International Supermarket News