3D-printed protective cover makes it easier and safer to clean JBT Marel’s cutting machines

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3D-printed protective cover makes it easier and safer to clean JBT Marel’s cutting machines

Reduced material consumption, improved cleanability, and increased operator safety – a new 3D-printed protective cover for the blades in JBT Marel’s cutting machines shows how 3D printing can solve concrete challenges in the food industry.

FødevaremaskineThe challenge: Safe cleaning of extremely sharp blades

In the food industry, daily cleaning of production equipment is a non-negotiable requirement. For JBT Marel, who manufactures processing equipment for the food industry – including cutting machines – this means that some of the factory’s very sharpest blades have to be handled and cleaned every single day. Therefore, the blades are covered with protective sheaths so that work can be carried out around them safely. But this created a challenge for the cleaning staff.

The previous protective covers were built from several parts, milled in POM and assembled with bushings. This construction made it difficult to properly clean behind and around the cover.

The solution was therefore unsuitable in terms of hygiene and cumbersome in daily use. The challenge was thus to develop a solution that was easier to clean and safer, while at the same time being economically sustainable and practical in everyday operation.

The solution: A 3D-printed cover in one piece

To solve the problem, JBT Marel chose to design a new type of cover that from the outset is optimized for 3D printing – and here they turned to the 3D printing specialists at the Danish Technological Institute (DTI), who have been collaborating with JBT Marel on 3D printing for several years. The new cover is printed as a single, complete component instead of an assembly of several milled parts. The cover is printed in blue metal- and X-ray-detectable nylon – BlueDP – at DTI, and hinges and locking mechanisms are integrated directly into the design, so the cover can close and lock itself around the blade without the need for additional fittings.

At the same time, the geometry has been made more open with strategically placed holes that make it easier to access for cleaning behind and around the cover – without increasing production costs, as would have been the case with conventional machining.

Higher safety and better economics

The new 3D-printed cover creates value for Marel and their customers on several levels. First and foremost, it increases safety and user-friendliness. The built-in snap locks make the cover quick and easy to mount. The blades can thus be handled safely during disassembly, transport and cleaning. At the same time, the open geometry makes it significantly easier to access behind and around the cover – and in fact the blades can be cleaned while the cover is on.

There are also clear logistical and economic benefits. A delivery time of around 10 days means that JBT Marel does not need to tie up capital in large inventories, but can order in smaller series as needed. At the same time, an attractive business case has been created: the long, slender shape means that many covers can be produced in the same print job. This lowers the unit price, so that overall the cover becomes cheaper than with conventional manufacturing.

In addition, the solution uses less material, which both reduces costs and is an advantage from a sustainability perspective.

We arrived at this solution through a strong collaboration with the Danish Technological Institute, and we are very pleased to have had the opportunity to test our ideas through trials and prototypes. Our customers and salespeople are also very happy with this solution, and the feedback has been extremely positive.

- Jakob Lesak, JBT Marel

Fødevaremaskine3D printing as a strategic tool in the food industry

This case illustrates how 3D printing is not just a prototyping technology, but a mature production tool that can solve very concrete challenges in the food industry – with a range of benefits:

  • Design freedom makes it possible to integrate multiple functions into a single component
  • Complexity does not cost extra
  • The solutions represent a genuine technological step forward – not just a “1:1 replacement” for a conventionally manufactured part

With the 3D-printed cover for the cutting machines, JBT Marel has obtained a component that demonstrates how additive manufacturing can create value on several levels: it is technically refined, practical in use, and economically attractive in series production.

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