KOCH Pac-Systeme leverages HP 3D printing to produce custom machinery parts with superior lightness, complexity, and cost-efficiency.
KOCH Pac-Systeme is a globally leading manufacturer of thermoforming machines, case erectors, and packaging lines. By leveraging HP Multi Jet Fusion technology, the company now produces 3D-printed custom mechanical parts that are lighter, more cost-effective, and more complex than those made with traditional manufacturing methods.
For over 50 years, KOCH Pac-Systeme has been a global leader in the manufacturing of thermoforming machines and packaging solutions.
As part of the Uhlmann Group, KOCH Pac-Systeme produces a diverse range of products for various industries, with specialized expertise in consumer goods, healthcare, and contact lenses. Leveraging the latest modular design technologies, each thermoforming machine, case erector, and packaging line can be individually configured and customized to meet specific customer requirements. Demonstrating its strong commitment to sustainability and innovation, KOCH Pac-Systeme was honored with the prestigious Top 100 Innovator Award in 2022.
Industry
Industry | Machinery & Equipment Manufacturing
Objectives
To produce more cost-effective, customizable, and sustainable packaging machinery components that meet growing customer demands—including higher recycling rates and product quality—while reducing material consumption.
Technology & Materials
Solution: HP Jet Fusion 4200 3D Printing Solution
Material: HP 3D High Reusability PA12
KOCH Pac-Systeme specializes in custom-tailored equipment for its clients, often requiring the development of complex and unique parts in small batches or even single-unit quantities. Traditional manufacturing methods (such as injection molding) posed challenges including high costs, long lead times, and difficulty producing intricate geometries. Any design changes meant restarting the entire process, significantly impacting efficiency.
KOCH needed a new production method that would enable rapid, low-cost manufacturing of complex parts, facilitate quick prototyping and design optimization, and avoid major disruptions to their production schedule.
As an innovation driver, KOCH Pac-Systeme continuously evaluates new technologies to improve its production processes. Like many companies, they strive to balance the best technical solutions with cost-effective approaches.
To address these challenges, the company adopted HP’s Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) 3D printing technology. This method combines high performance with cost efficiency, allowing KOCH to achieve design freedom, produce parts with complex geometries unattainable through traditional means, and significantly reduce both cost and production time. Jürgen Bitzer, Director of Corporate Engineering, stated, “For small batches of 10 to 100 units, costs can be reduced to one-tenth of those of milling processes, while also enabling greater creative design possibilities.”
With HP Jet Fusion 3D printing, KOCH can rapidly complete design, development, and prototype validation in-house, greatly accelerating the overall production pace. The company has already integrated over 100 MJF-printed parts into its thermoforming machines and packaging lines. For example, its award-winning KBS-C medplus thermoforming system consists of three basic modules, each containing 40 MJF-printed components. Among these, the distribution module is one of the most structurally complex printed parts—integrating vacuum/pressure air profiles and multiple connectors into a single dual-component design, thereby simplifying production and assembly compared to traditional multi-part setups.
MJF technology also enables the production of ultra-thin structures previously deemed infeasible, such as a 0.5 mm thick housing used to conceal door switches. Such components were previously unavailable off-the-shelf and prohibitively expensive to custom-manufacture. Today, HP MJF has become an essential part of KOCH’s production workflow, continuously driving innovation and enhancing production efficiency.
