When an innovative thermoformer already known for its diversified offerings added another technology to its mix — additive manufacturing (AM) — it dramatically slashed lead times for prototype tooling and created a new revenue stream.
Lindar Corp., headquartered in Baxter, Minnesota, is a full-service thermoforming company serving a wide range of markets that include food packaging, agriculture, medical, off-road and recreational power sports, lawn and garden equipment, and construction. The company, founded in 1993, operates out of a 205,000 ft2 plant with 175 employees.
Whereas most thermoformers tend to focus on either thin- or thick-gauge technologies, Lindar does both: It runs 11 thermoforming lines for thin-gauge (9-60 mil) applications, and six machines for thick-gauge jobs (up to 3/8-in. thick), notes Chuck Grant, the company’s design and innovation manager.
Lindar buys sheet in rollstock for thin-gauge applications and cut sheet for thick, Grant adds. The former does, however, operate one single-screw extruder, which he says accounts for about 10-15% of its volume for thin-gauge sheet. For thin-gauge applications, Lindar thermoforms mainly PET and PLA, and just recently began working with PP. On the thick side of the house, the company runs mostly sheet made of ABS, HDPE, high-modulus HDPE, TPOs, and Kydex, which is Sekisui’s line of thermoplastic acrylic-polyvinyl chloride.
And if that weren’t enough evidence of its flexibility, Grant notes that Lindar also operates three rotomolding machines and has the capability to foam fill its products.
A Lindar engineer works on a CAD model while monitoring a print in progress on the company’s EXT 1270 Titan Pellet 3D printer. Source: 3D Systems
Grant recalls that about 10 years ago Lindar started using AM technology to support its product development efforts, particularly for prototype tools and fixtures, using a powder-based system running nylon 12. Before AM, Lindar had been machining these tools from plywood, Ren board and similar materials, a process that was both expensive and time-consuming.
Fast forward to early 2023, and Grant began researching large-format 3D printers that could produce full-size prototypes and fixtures in one piece, eliminating the need for multipart assembly and post-processing. The goal, he says, was to speed up development cycles and improve flexibility in both design and manufacturing.
Cutting Lead Time and Cost
In August 2023, Lindar installed a 3D Systems EXT 1270 Titan Pellet 3D printer. With its generous build volume, heated chamber and pellet extrusion system, Grant says the EXT 1270 quickly proved its value by enabling faster, more cost-effective production of prototype molds, tooling and fixtures made of carbon filament PC (PC-CF 10) and ABS. While ready-to-use molds can be produced on EXT Titan Pellet systems, Lindar chooses to print faster using larger nozzles, and then machine on its existing CNC equipment for a smooth finish.
“We can now offer a price that is one-third of what we used to because we are not using the expensive Ren board and having to machine all sides. We can now print the mold oversized and machine a finished part. Because of the printing process, the backsides are done and there’s so much less material to remove,” Grant explains.
As a next step, Lindar evaluated options to replace its aging powder-based printer. The company ultimately selected a 3D Systems ProX SLS 6100, which is now used for producing thin-gauge thermoforming molds and high-detail fixtures, running nylon 12.
Since implementing these additive systems, Lindar has seen dramatic improvements in both speed and capability. Lead times for prototype tooling have been reduced by more than 80%, dropping from eight to 12 weeks to just one to two weeks. This newfound agility has helped Lindar win new customers who value the ability to receive full-size thermoformed prototypes on short notice.
Clockwise from front: a 3D-printed carbon-filament PC prototype mold; an ABS prototype of a formed part; and a 3D-printed ABS trim fixture. Lindar made them all using 3D Systems’ EXT 1270 Titan Pellet system. Source: 3D Systems
Lindar has also created a new revenue stream by offering 3D printed prototype tooling to clients. “We can now offer a start to finish solution for people,” Grant elaborates. “We can take their design or create one for them, rapidly make and run prototype tooling and parts, plus bring it altogether in production.”
While Lindar still relies on traditional machined aluminum molds with integrated cooling channels for high-volume production, the flexibility and speed of its AM systems have dramatically shortened development timelines. Many of the prototypes printed on the EXT 1270 go on to serve as bridge tools for production while aluminum molds are fabricated. Lindar also now prints all trim fixtures, along with a variety of other components such as cooling fixtures and stacker tooling for its thin-gauge production line.
Is AM technology for production tools next?
“I’m waiting for the technology to get more price competitive,” replies Grant. “I’d say right now it’s out of our realm. But it’s certainly something I'm envisioning for the future.”
