The world’s first handheld Water activated paper tape dispenser

Welcome to Xtaper®. A unique automatic dispenser enabling biodegradable paper tape to be used by everyone anywhere for sealing cartons.

Xtaper® is a battery powered automatic paper tape applicator overcoming the limitations of desktop machines, and enabling every box sealing operator worldwide to use paper tape.

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Product Group create game changing water activated tape dispenser.

More than ever, the stuff of our lives arrives in cardboard boxes. Sealing boxes with water activated paper tape improves security and recyclability, taking a huge amount of plastic tape out of the eco-system.

X-taper: A unique hand-held water activated paper tape dispenser.

Product design and sustainability:

Polypropylene and Polyester packing tapes have until now been the answer for hand held pack closing applicators.Desk based wet paper tape dispensers are big, expensive and inflexible. Unlike water activated paper tape, self adhesive PP and PE tapes aren’t tamper proof, strong, biodegradable or recyclable.

The dream: To give water activated paper tape the dispensing and application convenience of plastic tape.Working closely with the client the product design team identified the key requirements and the likely hurdles in developing this innovative new product.

How:The task was to develop a new system with several connected functional elements, each of which had to be fully understood, designed, prototyped, tested and proven for integration into the system.
The product design team began with the paper tape roll; how big, how heavy, different widths, access and how it would be loaded and retained.
By questioning everything, the product design team explored every element; paper feed, power and control, cutting, water delivery, storage capacity and refilling.

Putting it all together: In a hand held device, balance, weight and comfort are critical factors, so to begin with shapes representing all the major components and their weights were taped together in different configurations for assessment.
We chose a configuration which best suited the functional sequence, physical balance of the handle and ease of access and replenishment for power (Li-ion batteries), tape (50mm and 70mm) and water (refillable quick-change cartridges).

Fitting all the elements into one compact, lightweight unit requires flexibility and ingenuity from the design team to optimise relationships and dependencies between parts while squeezing out all unnecessary air and material.

From the very first concepts of the new system, thought was given to methods of manufacture and assembly. As a result, as the layout was finalised, there was a clear plan for how every part would be manufactured and assembled.

Anticipating every eventuality:

What if the paper jams in the mechanism?
Can the cutter be self sharpening?
Can the cutting edge be accessed by probing fingers?
What happens if there is a water leakage through part failure or misuse?
Are the electronics well separated from the water?

These and many more questions had to be addressed by the product design team to ensure the product exceeded all expectations.

Skills:

  • Market and user understanding

  • Product design concept generation

  • Computer modelling and visualisation

  • Material selection

  • CNC prototyping

  • Detailed component drawings

  • Functional testing

  • Detailing for manufacture

  • Specification for manufacture


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