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Nine days left to complete a rush order of 150 custom pens, and we've got another challenge on our hands. This time, it isn't the machining. It's the packaging.
Our usual presentation box features a magnetic closure and a fitted insert designed to hold a pen securely. It's a great way to present an individual pen, but this particular customer has a different requirement.
They're traveling with more than 100 pens, and carrying that many individual boxes isn't exactly practical.
So, we're working on something new.
The goal is to create a case that's better suited to transporting a large number of pens.
Rather than using our standard individual boxes, we're developing a slimmer, more compact design that can hold a pen without all the extra bulk.
It sounds straightforward, but creating something new in the middle of a rush order brings its own challenges.
The case needs to accommodate the pen, be practical for the customer's travel plans, and be something we can realistically produce within the remaining time.
And with 150 pens in the order, we need a solution that works across the entire batch.
The first step is working out the design.
We're exploring a simple, elongated case with a recessed channel for the pen. The idea is to keep the packaging minimal while providing a dedicated space for the product.
Using a 3D model allows us to work through the shape and proportions before committing to the physical version.
It's a useful way to take an idea and start figuring out whether it will actually work.
But a design that looks good on a screen still needs to prove itself in person.
With the design modeled, the next step is 3D printing a prototype.
This gives us something physical to work with, rather than relying entirely on the digital design.
The prototype is placed alongside our existing packaging for comparison, making the difference in size immediately apparent.
The new case is noticeably slimmer and shorter than the standard box. A pen can be positioned in its recessed channel, giving us a better idea of how the finished packaging might function.
It's a promising first step toward a more travel-friendly solution.
Of course, having a working prototype and producing enough packaging for the entire order are two different challenges.
The new case design is taking shape, but there's still the matter of getting everything produced and ready to ship.
With 150 custom pens to complete and only nine days remaining, the schedule is getting tighter.
That's the interesting thing about custom orders. Sometimes the challenge isn't just making the product itself. It's adapting the details around it to suit what the customer actually needs.
For now, we've got a prototype and a direction to work toward. The next challenge is turning that into a finished packaging solution before the deadline.