How SmartShield Packaging Improved Production Consistency with the AXYZ TRIDENT

Companies catering to sectors like aerospace, robotics, and biomedical devices have their own specific packaging needs. Every single item has to be packed in an engineering solution regardless of whether it has to be delivered locally or internationally. To deliver customized packaging for SmartShield Packaging Company entails making sure that every piece of protective foam, cradle, and other packages meet their customers’ high standards.

However, as customer demands kept on becoming more challenging, the firm realized that it was restricted in terms of quality control due to their reliance on external manufacturers. In-house manufacturing then became their next move.

It led to the acquisition of their first-ever AXYZ TRIDENT machine, which marked the beginning of a journey with many AXYZ machines to come later.

Building Packaging Solutions for Demanding Industries

SmartShield Packaging is known for offering specialized packaging services for the aerospace, robotics, and medical industry. They offer customized foam inserts, Pelican case interiors, CNC machined plywood cradles, wooden crates, and paperboard packaging systems that ensure the safety of the equipment being transported.

The firm has come a long way from when it was founded. SmartShield Packaging first opened its doors in the early 1990s in England and then in Canada in 2004. The firm then acquired its manufacturing facilities in 2019.

The Challenge: Outsourced Production Limited Quality Control

Before purchasing its first CNC system, SmartShield Packaging relied on an outside vendor to manufacture large foam projects.

While outsourcing initially met production needs, maintaining consistent quality became increasingly difficult as customer expectations continued to rise.

Ashley Botrol, Design Manager at SmartShield Packaging, explains:

“Our first production machine was our first TRIDENT. We were working with a vendor who was making a very large foam set for us. We found that by doing it ourselves, we could get a more consistent product.“

The existing supplier also lacked the routing and oscillating knife capabilities required to manufacture more complex packaging components.

Instead of continuing to depend on external suppliers, SmartShield Packaging chose to invest in its own manufacturing capabilities.

Why SmartShield Packaging Chose the AXYZ TRIDENT

Several factors influenced the company’s decision.

One of the biggest advantages was working with a local equipment manufacturer.

Ashley explains that having local access to service technicians and spare parts provides peace of mind whenever support is needed.

Equally important was machine reliability.

“We’ve also had great quality machines, very consistent and reliable,” Ashley says.

The company also appreciated the versatility of the AXYZ TRIDENT. Combining routing with oscillating knife cutting allowed SmartShield Packaging to process a wider variety of packaging materials using one production platform.

Expanding Manufacturing Capabilities

The initial investment was based on only a handful of immediate projects.

However, once the AXYZ TRIDENT was integrated into production, new opportunities quickly followed.

Today, SmartShield Packaging operates multiple AXYZ machines while manufacturing components from numerous packaging materials, including:

• PE foam
• Anti-static PE foam
• High-density XLP foam
• Zote foams
• Plywood
• Cardboard
• Lumber

These capabilities allow the company to produce custom foam inserts, plywood cradles, Pelican case interiors, protective packaging, and other engineered packaging solutions for customers with demanding requirements.

Built for Reliable Daily Production

For manufacturers, equipment reliability directly affects delivery performance.

According to Ashley, SmartShield Packaging confidently operates its AXYZ machines throughout two production shifts.

“We can run two shifts and run the machines all day. We’re confident in the output that we get from these machines.“

That confidence comes not only from machine performance but also from ongoing support.

The company uses AXYZ’s online service portal whenever assistance is required and maintains preventive maintenance plans that help ensure machines remain properly calibrated and operating efficiently.

Routine inspections help identify worn components before they become production issues, reducing unexpected downtime while supporting consistent manufacturing performance.

Supporting Long-Term Growth

The purchase of the AXYZ TRIDENT CNC machine at SmartShield Packaging was motivated by a particular production problem.

In today’s time, the use of the AXYZ TRIDENT has become a part of the overall manufacturing strategy.

The process of producing parts in-house has made it easier to manage quality while also giving Smart Shield Packaging the ability to manufacture a wide variety of packaging products out of various materials.

By combining the advantages of efficient local support along with robust machine performance, the AXYZ TRIDENT is helping to create a scalable production setup that can be expanded in the future.

Any manufacturer wanting to achieve consistency and expand capabilities can draw inspiration from the experience of SmartShield Packaging.

Request a Demo

Whether you manufacture custom packaging, foam products, engineered components, or industrial materials, the AXYZ TRIDENT delivers routing and knife-cutting versatility designed for modern production environments.

See how an AXYZ TRIDENT could improve your production workflow. Request a demo to discuss your applications, materials, and manufacturing goals with the AXYZ team.