“Let’s set foot into non-core dimensions of print and brand them under printing technology”

The Avinashilingam Institute recently got two of its patents successfully awarded. The inventor Dr. TKS Lakshmi Priya, Professor and Head, Printing Technology, School of Engineering, had conceived the idea to design and fabricate a Table-top Manual Die-Cutting Machine and the idea to design and make a Multipurpose Combo Package, in the year 2016-17. Subsequent to the making of a prototype of these, patents for both were filed in 2017. Now, both the patents have been granted by the government patenting authority.

Here, Dr. TKS Lakshmi Priya, shares more about the two inventions:

P&P: Share a brief about the two innovations?

Lakshmi: One of the innovations is a Manual table-top die-cutting machine. It can be used for prototyping package designs, for preparing small quantities of paper and paper-based items of width 28 cms max. The other is an aesthetic multi-purpose package structural design. It can be used with or without compartments. The design can be scaled to required size.

P&P: What were the reasons for inventing them?

Lakshmi: One of the research areas that we are exploring is ‘affordable solutions for MSME printers’. Manual operation, light-weightedness, ease of operation, small jobs, feasible for rural house wives, etc. are some of the factors that decide the solutions that we provide.

P&P: Who will be benefited from these inventions?

Lakshmi: The machine is basically meant for small investment print businesses, for preparing samples and prototypes. Since it does not require electrical power and is a table top machine, it is environment friendly, cost saving, and can be shelved when not required.

The package design is meant for gifting, as a luxury package, for confectionery, cosmetics, art and craft items etc. Depending on the choice of the substrate, the package can be reused by the customer as an organizer for various items, especially since it has multiple partitions. The reusability makes it an eco-friendly product.

Further, the die-cutting machine and the package design, taken together can also be used to develop a new business, a cottage industry that prepares package blanks. The die-cutting machine, a die for the package design and appropriate substrate, will suffice.

Small business can use this as an in-house packaging facility and get labels outsourced. Hand-made toys, food items, bakery items, handicrafts etc. are a few popular business in non-formal sector. An in-house aesthetic packaging unit can add value to their products.

This simple business can also be undertaken by unemployed persons or house-wives or persons-with-disabilities, thereby becoming an income-generating person in the family.

P&P: How do you wish to take it further in terms of production and availability?

Lakshmi: We are talking to fabricators. Our Institute is coming up with incubation facilities. We are encouraging students to think of start-ups. With these and a few move avenues in hand, we are eagerly looking forward to something positive to happen.

P&P: How can students be motivated to think out of the box?

Lakshmi: As teachers, we are responsible for sowing the seed in students’ mind. In our department we emphasize eco-friendliness, entrepreneurship, reduce-recycle-reuse, product-making, among a few other ‘mantras’, rather than emphasizing high-scores. When they build their ideas upon these mantras, I think they start practicing the non-stereo-type.

P&P: What next are you planning?

Lakshmi: I’m working on how to bring Print 4.0 technologies to the MSMEs so that their production and profit increases.

P&P: What message would you like to give to students of printing colleges?

Lakshmi: Printing Technology is vast and encompasses science, arts, technology, management, communication, … everything under the sun. Become a printing graduate and work in any industry – printing or non-printing, but be proud that you are a printer. Printing is one of the oldest known trades of mankind, and still surviving.

P&P: Any message to the industry?

Lakshmi: The print realm is shrinking. The print fraternity must set foot into non-core dimensions of print and brand them under printing technology. We, the print industry and the academia together, must work together in expanding our territory.