Juno Provides Innovative Machine Safety Solutions for FlexLink with the Carbon Platform

FlexLink, a global leader in industrial automation and material handling systems, was looking to develop a more customized safety protection solution for their industrial machines. While there were standard commercialized options available, FlexLink aimed to create an effective, aesthetic, and durable protection solution that was specifically customized to the edgy corners of the machines, which could pose risks to operators, and easy to install. To address this, FlexLink turned to JUNO.AM, a Carbon production partner in Italy, to design a more efficient solution using Carbon’s advanced 3D printing technology.

FlexLink’s primary objective was to enhance machine safety through more reliable and aesthetically pleasing protections for their industrial machines’ sharp corners. These components needed to stand out to operators for safety purposes while offering better durability and performance than traditional foam. Each machine requires 250 security bumpers, so production needed to be able to scale up easily.

The company had relied on commercial off-the-shelf components but decided to design and produce these parts in-house for better customization and control. One of their key business challenges was the need to develop and manufacture these components quickly due to a tight timeline. FlexLink needed to send the machine out in just a few days, and the conventional design and production methods couldn’t meet these time constraints.

To solve these challenges, FlexLink partnered with JUNO.AM to design and develop a new security bumper using Carbon’s DLS (Digital Light Synthesis) technology, which enabled faster time-to-market and allowed for the creation of latticed parts in Carbon Design Engine.

Unlike foam, which can be bulky and prone to wear, the Carbon DLS parts were lightweight, durable, and were designed to snap on to the machine directly, eliminating the manual need to screw each of the 250 pads onto the machine. Additionally, the parts were produced using EPU 46, a high-performance material that offers custom colorization. FlexLink chose a striking yellow to enhance visibility and safety by drawing attention to the protective components.

The decision to move forward with Carbon was largely driven by the need for speed and custom designs. Juno’s design capabilities and rapid prototyping allowed FlexLink to develop the first prototypes in just a few days. The prototypes were quickly tested in a real-world environment, and the feedback from operators confirmed the parts’ functionality and safety. The lattice design provided both safety and aesthetic advantages that traditional foam couldn’t match, and FlexLink proceeded with mass production of hundreds of components with JUNO.AM and the Carbon platform.

By working with JUNO and leveraging Carbon’s platform, FlexLink achieved significant improvements in both the speed and quality of its production process. The ability to quickly design, prototype, and manufacture these protective components has led to faster product development cycles, enhanced safety and performance, and improved aesthetics.