Future Links February 20th 2015
Today our news roundup from the printing industry covers the ways in which 3D printing can cut cost in packaging design, how to identify any font, the largest 3D printed aerospace component, a collection of attention grabbing print advertising campaigns, market growth predictions for sealants and adhesives and the planned merger between Ball and Rexam.
3D printing helps with packaging design and production
Experts have identified one area in which 3D printing can already bring productivity gains and cost savings: Packaging. One example is Silgan Plastics, a company that used 3D printing to speed up the development of the snap-fit lid for packaging of a sweetener. This helped cut the leadtime for that process from 30 days to 2 days.
More at Packaging Digest
How to identify any font
With thousands of fonts in circulation, it sometimes takes more than a good eye and great memory to identify a typeface on a website or a printed page. Fortunately, there are several apps and tools that can help.
More at MacWorld
Rolls Royce flight-tests largest 3D aerospace component
The British aerospace manufacturer has 3D printed a titanium structure that measures 1.5 meters in diameter and is 0.5 meters thick. Now, it is ready to put the structure to a test in its Trent XWB-97 engine. Rolls Royce claims this is the largest 3D printed structure ever flown.
More at 3D Printing Industries
A collection of last year’s best print advertising campaigns
They have been clever, well executed and attention grabbing: The best print ad campaigns collected by FESPA’s Rob Fletcher. New York’s “It’s not a tree” was selected as well as Band Aids campaign featuring the cartoon hero The Incredible Hulk.
More at FESPA
Slow growth in sealants and adhesive for paper packaging predicted
The market for sealants and adhesive is on a rapid growth track: According to the market researcher Freedonia Group, the US demand for adhesives and sealants will increase by 2.8 percent annually to 12.8 billion USD in 2019. However, the demand in the paper and packaging market will exhibit much slower growth of about 1 %.
More at Labels & Labeling
Packaging giant Ball and Rexam join forces
If shareholders approve, this will be a new mega-merger in the beverage packaging industry. Under the proposal, the Ball Corp. will be acquiring Rexam for shares and cash, creating a new global player in the drink can production industry. Combined, the companies will have revenues of approximately 15 billion USD and about 22,500 employees across five continents.
More at Packaging News