4D Substrates Now

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4D Printing is a combination of 3D printing and a time change element that provides the fourth dimension — hence a 4D substrate is one that will by design change form over time.

Smart fabrics and 4D printing were identified by Gartner as technologies way up on their hype cycle.

We tend to agree with their assessment.

However, there are useful lessons from additive manufacturing for those of us in the roll goods industry — even if 3D (let alone 4D) roll goods are not in the immediate future.

  • We should look at how our products are made from a fresh perspective. Many roll goods are constructed using technology that is decades old. Additive manufacturing teaches us that there may be unforeseen ways to construct a better product.
  • Rather than focusing on what our products are made of (e.g., polyester, viscose) we should be focusing on what product properties (extensibility, absorbency) we are trying to achieve.

There is no need to wait for 3D printing to mature to the point that we can make 4D products. The technology for 4D fabrics is readily available now by combining existing technology in new ways.

The Cost of a Free Screening Trial

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We understand that at large companies, trying out new products can be complicated. The development process is full of trial and error – but if you add to that the administrative red tape, interfacing with SAP, etc., it can be almost impossible. That’s why at Micrex, we help you shed the red tape and focus on the trial itself.

We’ve said it many times: we believe in quick turnaround and fail-fast. The more ideas you try out, the greater chances you have of succeeding. That is why we offer free screening trials.

But make no mistake: screening trials are not “free” for us, and we take them very seriously. I believe they are the single most important thing we do at Micrex.

This is what you get with a free screening trial at Micrex:

  • I (president of Micrex) evaluate and supervise your trial plan
  • A senior Micrex operator runs your trial
  • Your material is tested on multiple configurations of our equipment with various settings and temperatures. With our expertise, we can complete these trial runs rapidly
  • You receive your sample back quickly and with a write-up of results

    • We figure the average screening trial costs Micrex in excess of $2,000

    The bottom line: screening trials are serious business for us at Micrex.

    Get the details and find out how to get started here.

     

New Ways to Think About Absorbency

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Customize the absorbent properties of your sheet materials using Micrex technology.

WATCH VIDEO

Learn about the traditional measures of absorbency, as well as how The Micrex Process can enhance the absorbency of your sheet materials. Read more

4 Tips to Scale Up – Going Beyond Lab Trials

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Producing a new product using a sheet material (paper, textile, film, nonwoven or composite) involves overcoming a lot of obstacles and rocky patches, especially when moving from a small concept sample to a commercial product. How to scale up and achieve success despite the roadblocks? Realize that changes will likely be needed in the product and process – and the sooner these are found, the better.

1. Be Sure You Have a Sense of Urgency

Time is of the essence: you and those around you must be filled with a sense of excitement, timeliness and the importance of your challenge. If you fail, you just might run out of time. Move quickly.

2. Have a Clear Plan to Scale Up  

In the quest to make a good lab scale sample – do not cheat! Producing a beautiful, small sample at slow speed is not the goal. It only gets harder as you scale up. At Micrex, we have seen too many customers take a short cut and get excited about a small sample, assuming it will successfully scale up.

Lab scale is where you look for truths:

  • It is more difficult to run wide than narrow. As an analogy — a long bridge is harder to build than a short one.
  • Run speed – slow is easy, fast is hard.
  • Many processes fail over time, as dust or other contaminates build up, or process components wear.

At lab scale, the severity of these issues become apparent. How do the results change if you double the width, length or speed? This might indicate a limitation or provide an opportunity to prevent a problem.

3. Don’t Assume the Raw Material Will Be Consistent

As in cooking and wine making – the ingredients are important! We often have customers who claim that one batch of roll goods is “exactly the same” as another. This will be documented with a data sheet or C of A. The reality is that no two rolls of material are the same.

The real question is: “How does the process handle normal variation of the raw material?”

4. Keep in Touch with Marketing and the Customer

Most of roll goods product development is tied to specifications. In the broader world of product design, there is often no specification. As a result, the entity running a trial may make assumptions that will not align with the end customer. Be sure to ask yourself: are you using the right specification?

Our Product Is Our Technology

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We are often asked — “What are you selling?” This is a reasonable question for companies looking for commodity products.

There are no “Micrex wipes” or “Micrex bandages” – At Micrex, our product is our technology.

IDEA 2016

We collaborate with some of the most creative Research & Development organizations in the world. Micrex may be viewed externally as a contract converter or equipment manufacturer by some, but at our core, we are focused on new products.

To see what we can do now and in the future, we suggest that you focus on how The Micrex Process alters product properties, such as bulk, stretch and extensibility, pre-shrinking, absorbency, decorative effects and softness on a wide range of substrates.

The real question is: how can these attributes be used to enhance your existing products or enable a whole new product category. Every product developed with Micrex technology was once a new product.