Founded in 2015, Hegen, a national-level baby bottle brand in Singapore, caused a sensation as soon as it was launched. With the multi-functional nursing program of « pumping, storage, feeding » and a number of design awards, it has become a world-renowned mother and baby brand. Hegen comes from the German “hegen und pflegen”, which means « cherish and care for ». With nearly 100 high-quality baby bottles, Hegen protects the safe and pleasant feeding experience of millions of mothers around the world. Innovation has always been Hegen’s core competency. With help and Raise3D printer from ELH Additive manufacturing, who is an additive manufacture solution provider as well as distributor of Raise3D in Singapore, Hegan is able to innovate products. Raise3D E2 grants Hegan flexible production capabilities with feature of compatibility with various materials and engineer-friendliness.
Introducing ELH Additive Manufacturing
ELH is an Additive Manufacturing company located at JTC Space @ Tampines, Singapore is now part of the Southeast Asia’s Largest AM Service Bureau and are covering Vietnam and Philippines regionally as well in selling 3D printing products.
ELH Tech also has collaborated with Educational Institutions such as Nanyang Technology University, Nanyang Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic and Republic Polytechnic to be able to enrich students with the capabilities and knowledge of Additive Manufacturing.
ELH also provides prototyping services ranging from Reverse Engineering to 3D Printing and with a variety of materials from Polymer to Metal. For this Hegen product, Raise3D will be used to help in the making of this product, by using plastic filaments to 3D Print.
Hegen’s Demand and Product
Customers experience Hegen products by touching the bottle or caps with their hands and mouth. Impressive looks, comfortable touch and proper ergonomics are essential. Therefore, Hegen ‘s engineers need multiple iterations on the physical design, and perform functional tests, such as drop tests, assembly tests, ergonomic tests. Hegen’s most pressing need is to shorten the design-to-verification time while maintaining the accuracy and smoothness of the model. High-cost, long-term outsourcing is no longer sufficient for its needs. The Raise3D E2 printer can adapt to suitable materials, print high-precision models, which greatly shorten the design-to-verification cycle, making it the best choice for Hegen.
More than that, the Raise3D E2 printer that ELH provides allows changes to the design even during the printing process, which helps to save time and makes things more efficient.
Higher Accuracy, Shorter Cycle Times, Lower Cost
As a desktop level printer, Raise3D E2 printer still maintains industrial-grade high printing accuracy. The minimum layer height of 0.02mm can restore the small parts of the model. The step size of X /Y/Z axis is 0.78125 mm X /Y/Z axis, ensuring the stability under the condition of high-speed printing. The structure of the threads of the milk bottle is very challenging to traditional machining, leading to high human and material costs. But the E2 printer can easily print complex geometries, even the threads on baby bottles. Models printed on the E2 printers guarantee tight surfaces, smooth joints and no rough edges, fully meeting the high design standards of baby bottles. Aaron Yong, Senior UX + Product Designer at Hegen, also praised the accuracy of the models printed by the E2 printer.
Models printed with E2 printer.
Efficient Mass Printing
Currently, Hegen has already launched more than 30 products on the market, and more products will be developed in the future. Functional testing is required in every product design. Each product development requires at least 50-100 tests to get the best results. Hegen needed to efficiently print models in large batches. The higher printing efficiency and batch printing of the E2 printer can meet the needs of Hegen. Hegen’s R&D lab in Singapore could not accommodate a large 3D printer, so they turned to the industrial-grade printer E2 printer to help establish a small 3D printing factory.
E2 is equipped with independent dual extruders (IDEX) capable of performing Mirror Mode and Duplication Mode. This means that the E2 printer can print a model and an exact copy of it with two extruders at the same time. The production capacity has doubled at the same time. For example, one E2 printer can produce 6-8 baby bottle cap models during one print task. Hegen purchased several E2 printers in their R&D lab, producing at least 10-20 samples per week, which makes the design-verification faster and more efficient.
Multiple E2 printers print at the same time to improve production efficiency.
Explore More Filaments
E2 printer can print a variety of filaments up to 300°C, such as PC, TPU , ABS , etc., these plastics have similar strength and chemical properties comparing with the final product. PPSU is usually used as the milk bottle, and Hegen also uses The E2 is also able to meet all material requirements. E2 printer comes with IDEX, which means Hegen can realize dual-color printing and uses a flexible filament for support. Hegen is currently studying the properties of “Polymax”, a well-functioning material that is very close to the tested injection molding material. « With Raise3D E2 printer, I can also print flexible materials, use dissolvable filament as Raft, and add support on more complex materials such as nylon and TPU, » says Aaron Yong. Raise3D’s Open Filaments Program provides users with filaments from many manufacturers around the world, and the Hegen team can explore more environmentally friendly filaments with broader chemical properties.
Multiple E2 printers are printing at the same time in Hegen’s R&D lab.
A Good Partner for Engineers
Hegen’s design philosophy is to create an emotional connection between mother and baby through their products, and the Raise3D E2 printer is also a good partner for engineers creating an emotional connection. The desktop size E2 printer is suitable for any office scene. Equipped with a HEPA air filter, E2 printer is less polluting and quieter, providing a safe and quiet working environment.
E2 printer has a low threshold and a short learning curve for users. Inexperienced designers can easily operate it without any training. Designers only need to prepare the CAD file, importing it into the idea Maker software and sync it to the printer. With a clicking a button on the printer’s screen, the printer will automatically print. The visual interface allows designers to track the printing progress at any time.
The cloud-based Raise Cloud management platform makes it possible for Hegen to build a global printing factory across regions. Designers can remotely monitor the printing progress and manage the printing tasks. Multinational designer teams and production teams can jointly carry out printing tasks, which provides convenience for global production methods. Aaron Yong praised the collaborative working mode of Raise3D and expressed his approval for the remote management of printing and collaborative design and production.
Leading the Industry with 3D Printing Technology
As a giant in the maternal and infant industry, Hegen uses 3D printing technology to innovate products and maintain a stronger competitiveness flexibly and rapidly. In the future, they will also explore the application of 3D printing in line production, such as the production of tooling fixtures with durable fine surfaces for assembly and stress testing. Hegen will continue to lead the maternal and infant industry, allowing 3D printing technology to provide a more comfortable breastfeeding experience for millions of mothers around the world.
This case is shared by Raise3D distributor in Singapore: ELH.
