HellermannTyton, a leading manufacturer in cable fasteners and clips, specializes in creating small flexible components essential for the functionality and safety of wiring systems in vehicles, heavy trucks, heavy equipment, and industrial automation. As the industry evolves, HellermannTyton continuously seeks innovative solutions to enhance their manufacturing processes. The recent integration of Raise3D’s DF2 resin 3D printer has significantly transformed their development workflow, providing enhanced flexibility, speed, and precision in part prototyping and production.
HellermannTyton’s integration of Raise3D DF2 3D printer
Challenges of Prototyping Functional Cable Ties
HellermannTyton’s product line includes components such as fir trees, cable ties, and other mounting solutions designed to attach to various parts of a vehicle or equipment. These components need to be both rigid and flexible, posing a challenge for traditional manufacturing methods.
HellermannTyton’s product line includes many mounting solutions
Ethan Fish, Product Designer at HellermannTyton, explains, “Our components must hold their shape while providing necessary flexibility to function properly. For instance, a piping tube clip with flexible arms needs to allow for radiator hose expansion under pressure and keep tension to prevent sliding.”
Components must hold their shape while providing necessary flexibility to function properly
Traditional FFF printing was insufficient for these needs, as it could not achieve the necessary combination of strength and flexibility. Outsourcing design parts could take anywhere from 3-5 days, which was not fast enough to keep up with customer demands for functional prototypes.
Limitations of FFF Printing
The company already worked with Raise3D Pro2 FFF printers, which were suitable for fit, size, and shape checks, but these lacked the capability for functional testing. To address this, HellermannTyton sought out a resin printing solution that could reliably produce strong, flexible parts with a high level of detail. This would allow them to quickly iterate designs and provide their customers with functional prototypes within one or two days.
Transition to In-House Resin DLP Printing
The functional cable ties previously outsourced from the service bureau were printed by expensive industrial DLP resin printers using Henkel Loctite resins. HellermannTyton discovered the Raise3D DF2, a DLP (Digital Light Processing) solution which is reliable, cost-effective and compatible with the same Henkel resins. The decision was also influenced by their previous positive experiences with Raise3D’s Pro2 machines. Fish says, “We were looking for was somebody in that more affordable price point that we could trust.” The DF2 Printer, DF Wash, and DF Cure provide HellermannTyton fast and reliable turnaround times for functional, flexible prototypes – including next-day deliveries.
Raise3D DF2 solution is reliable, cost-effective and compatible with the Henkel resins
HellermannTyton has since successfully printed with Raise3D’s Standard White, High Detail, and Tough 2K resins. They were also able to utilize Henkel Loctite 3D IND405, one of Raise3D’s co-branded engineering resins useful for its high impact and high elongation.
The DF2 solution provides an open platform with Raise3D and co-branded resins from Henkel, BASF and other manufacturers. Raise3D ideaMaker software allows users to adjust settings for printing, washing and curing, providing users with the customized workflow that meets specific application needs.
Raise3D DF2 solution provides an open platform with Raise3D and co-branded resins from Henkel, BASF and other manufacturers.
Key Benefits of DF2 Solution: Traceable Workflow, Increased Efficiency, and Reliable Support
HellermannTyton experienced the following improvements when they introduced the DF2 Solution to their development cycle, allowing them to speed up overall production.
- End-to-End Workflow Integration: The integration of Raise3D’s ideaMaker software with the DF2 streamlines the printing process for faster turnaround times. Along with the DF2’s RFID build plate and preset post-processing parameters, this ensures that production remains efficient and consistent. Fish notes how effective this end-to-end traceable workflow has been for producing accurate and reliable prints.
- Enhanced Prototyping Capabilities: The DF2 enables HellermannTyton to rapidly produce high-quality prototypes, which are essential for functional testing and validation. This capability significantly reduced their product development cycle, as highlighted by Fish: “Outsourcing parts guarantees delivery in five days at best, but we often need parts the next day. In-house printing solves this problem.”
- Reliable Support and Maintenance: HellermannTyton received excellent support from Raise3D, which minimized downtime and ensured quick resolution of issues. Fish emphasizes, “The support from Raise has been excellent. The system is reliable, easy to use, and the support team is always there when we need them.”
DF2 Solution allowed to speed up overall production.
Impact and Results
The use of Raise3D’s DF2 resin 3D printer has transformed HellermannTyton’s development process. The in-house printing capability allows for rapid design iterations and functional testing, accelerating product development and innovation. “Our adoption of resin printing technology has allowed us to innovate faster and more efficiently than ever before,” Fish concludes.
Raise3D’s DF2 resin 3D printer has transformed HellermannTyton’s development process
Driving the Engineering & Development Cycle with the DF2 Solution
The Raise3D DF2 Solution has enabled HellermannTyton to produce functional, flexible parts with precision and efficiency. The printer’s streamlined traceable RFID workflow, combined with Raise3D’s strong support, has allowed them to innovate and respond quickly to customer demands. This case study illustrates the importance of selecting the right 3D printing technology to meet specific production needs, and shows firsthand how the DF2 Solution can accelerate development with versatile materials, traceable steps, and reliable results.
