3D printers are usually thrust into the spotlight only when something controversial happens. It makes it easy to forget how the technology is improving established industries all around the world.

Stratasys has the story of Collcap Packaging, and how the UK-based company is using 3D printers to prototype the latest packaging for the cosmetics you use everyday:

Collcap Packing in the UK is using revolutionary 3D printing technology to prototype cosmetics packaging for their many international perfumery and cosmetics suppliers. Using the Stratasys Objet30 Pro 3D printer, Collcap’s designers are able to turn 3D CAD designs into accurate prototypes using a choice of 7 different materials ranging from blue, gray, white and black to clear transparency, high temperature resistance and polypropylene-like.

The transparent material (Objet VeroClear) is particularly useful in simulating glass and PMMA. 3D printing allows Collcap to place precise transparent replicas in the hands of their customers only a few short hours after their initial design. Once the chosen 3D printed models are approved the designs are sent to glass cutting and then final manufacturing.