PROTECTIVE COVERS USED IN THE PROCESS OF DYEING

The client needed a simple solution to optimize the production process of dyeing which would replace impractical cleaning of semi-finished products with self-adhesive tapes. We developed a tool into which disposable protective covers are inserted. The product is installed onto a pneumatic cylinder which pushes the cover down and fits it to the semi-finished product. Such covers couldn’t be made with milling, since this would produce too much wasted materials, therefore they had to be made with 3D printing.

In this case, we chose to make the covers of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) which is characterized by suitable elasticity to nicely fit to the semi-finished product while applying minimum pressure. In addition, the material doesn’t heat up excessively during the dyeing process and it retains its form so as not to stain the product while being removed.

Moreover, the material had to allow for minimum wall thickness of the printed product and the fastest possible printing speed. The selection of the right material and the optimization of the parameters enabled us to create a product which was produced fast and was affordable for the client. The covers are disposable, yet they enable a much faster and simpler production process.