Contributed by Rick Rangler, Colbie Blue Studio
Meet Anya
In a world dominated by technology, one profession remains essential: innovative and sustainable packaging design. Meet Anya, a packaging designer at a top CPG company, driven by her passion for creating eco-friendly solutions that benefit both the planet and profit.
She starts her day by remotely connecting with her colleague Luis, who is on the other side of the globe. They have joined forces to design packaging for “Eco-Food” a sustainable plant-based food line packaged in compostable materials. Their goals include functionality, visual appeal, and clear labeling to indicate compostability. The structure is also designed to incorporate nutritional value back into the soil, so it is valued by composters.
AI and VR
Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered Augmented Reality (AR), they generate different design concepts with a variety of materials options, and with Virtual Reality (VR), they create simulated versions of the packaging to test its effectiveness in various simulated environments, including virtual consumer testing.
To guarantee the packaging’s appeal to consumers, Anya relies on a haptic device that allows her to feel and assess its shape and texture. This tactile approach ensures an ergonomically stimulating experience for end-users, including opening forces and grips for consumers with physical disabilities, making it difficult to open many packs.
Additionally, Machine Learning (ML) assists in generating Finite Element Analysis (FEA) results, determining the packaging’s ability to protect the food and perform during shipping, handling, and end-use.
Once the design is perfected, Anya and Luis transfer it over to the production team, who will utilize rapid prototyping with robotics and co-bots to finalize development and implement it into manufacturing.
Anya and Luis are excited about the new “Eco-Food” packaging design. They have achieved an innovative package that celebrates reduced waste, enhanced sustainability, and consumer appeal.
The impact of her new packaging design has generated a great deal of excitement, and she knows it will save time and money for her company and captivate end-consumers. A closer look at how Anya and Luis harness cutting-edge technologies throughout their
day:
- Remote work: They collaborate through AR, VR, and ML to bring their packaging design project to life.
- Augmented reality: Visualizing design concepts in different material configurations.
- Virtual reality: Creating and testing virtual packaging prototypes, allowing them to envision the product’s functionality in various settings.
- Machine learning: Employing ML to generate FEA results, ensuring the packaging’s strength and integrity during transportation, handling and use.
- Haptic devices: Use of a haptic device to examine the packaging’s texture, guaranteeing an engaging and tactile experience for consumers, and ability to design for a variety of abilities (sight and arthritic/limb conditions)
- Digital codes: on how to dispose so it goes to compost and not recycle
- Robots and co-bots: The production team utilizes advanced robotics for efficient and eco-conscious packaging manufacturing processes.
Time & Cost Savings
Anya’s work exemplifies the evolution of packaging design in the 21st century. By harnessing emerging technologies, designers like Anya and Luis can create innovative and sustainable solutions that are holistic in nature saving time and cost for brands and enticing end-consumers.