【3D Printing Case Study】Heineken: 3D Printing Means Ultimaker!
Globally renowned beer company Heineken owns over 150 production plants worldwide. Its Seville plant in Spain produces many of its famous beers, which are brewed, packaged, and then delivered into our hands. The Seville plant already boasts an annual production capacity of 500 million liters of beer, but Heineken continues to pursue higher efficiency, embarking on an exploration of 3D printing.
(Video available with Traditional Chinese subtitles)
．Production Line Evolution
After establishing a 3D printing studio, the packaging department sought to improve production equipment with three key goals: "output," "uptime," and "safety." They quickly discovered that 3D printing offered a solution that was simultaneously customizable, fast, affordable, and easy to use. Juan, the packaging department manager, happily stated, "We are still in the first phase of 3D printing applications, and we have already reduced costs by 70-90%, and even shortened delivery times by 70-90%."
．Safety First
Safety is Heineken's top priority. Specially designed safety locks engage when machines stop and are made bright red for visibility to prevent accidental startup during maintenance. These 3D printed safety locks are applicable to almost all machines in the factory. Beyond their practical use, these safety measures also enhance employees' sense of belonging to the company.
Beyond improving equipment structures, convenience also yielded additional benefits. Factory environments are often busy, and small public items like keys and wrenches can easily get lost in the chaos. By using 3D printing to create storage devices that can be integrated with machinery, handover between personnel and the organization of small tools have become more systematic.
．Functional Accessories
Following these successful experiences, an internal survey was conducted, and 3D printed parts were produced based on needs. First, for expensive and time-consuming discontinued parts or imported accessories, using an Ultimaker 3D printer offers immediate benefits such as saving time and money. Moreover, these parts can serve as alternatives to metal structures.
．Improved Part Design
The advantages of 3D printing include the freedom to update designs, rapid on-site manufacturing, testing alternative parts, lighter weight finished products compared to metal, and the ability to choose materials based on strength requirements. For example, quality detectors on conveyor belts would sometimes hit glass bottles, often causing blockages or knocking good bottles to the ground. Redesigned 3D printed parts solved this problem. Bypassing outsourcing limitations not only saves manufacturing costs but also makes process improvements more flexible and simpler.
．Quality Control and Maintenance Tools
Most of Heineken's current tools are printed using Tough PLA, offering both strength similar to ABS and the ease of printing of PLA. One specific clamp can adjust the tightness of the labeling guide shaft. Before adopting a 3D printer, this could only be specially ordered and outsourced to an expensive CNC service. Now, it can simply be taken out of the 3D printer. The cost of professional tools has been reduced by 70%, and the completion time has shortened from three days to one day. Simple tools like this can be printed in just an hour, whereas outsourcing previously took over 10 days.
．Material System Integration
Since many 3D printed parts need to withstand pressure, high temperatures, humidity, or impact for extended periods, Ultimaker's material system comes into play. For example, Tough PLA is often used for pushers and tools, Nylon is suitable for use with metal parts, and TPU is an ideal choice for bumpers and protective parts.
．Preliminary Results
After one year of using the Ultimaker S5 in this plant, Heineken is convinced that Ultimaker has successfully integrated with the production line and created more value, significantly improving employee safety, delivery times, and cost reduction. On average, these 3D printed in-house tools have reduced time and cost by 80% compared to external procurement, demonstrating that 3D printing technology can bring more value to businesses and make employees more efficient.
．Global Connection
The company plans to leverage the benefits of 3D printing by sharing designs and solutions through its global supply chain network. Since parts can be transmitted digitally, it eliminates the environmental costs of international shipping and transit time, accelerating internal global deployment. Want to save costs and speed up product delivery for your business? Ultimaker 3D printers from the Netherlands, meeting EU standards, can provide you with highly stable and precise finished products. Stop incurring costs now, join the ranks of rapid manufacturing, and create more value with the time and money saved.
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