Cracking the Egg Crisis: Mass Additive’s 3D Printing Solution for Lesher Poultry Farm

In the fast-paced world of poultry farming, efficiency is everything, especially with egg prices soaring and memes flooding the internet about the cost of a dozen eggs. Downtime on processing equipment can lead to significant losses in productivity and revenue. That's why we're thrilled to share a success story from our partnership with Lesher Poultry Farm, where we leveraged the power of additive manufacturing to solve a persistent problem with their egg processing equipment.

The Challenge: Fragile OEM Parts Leading to Frequent Failures

At Lesher Poultry Farm, a critical component in their carton denesting system—a small injection-molded OEM part—was proving to be a major headache. These original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts were prone to breaking, disrupting operations and requiring constant replacements.

According to Douglas Lesher, 4^th generation farmer and design technician, the OEM parts typically lasted about 2 months under normal conditions. With some tweaks and adjustments, they could extend the life to up to a year in certain cases, but failures were still common. Each breakdown caused approximately 15 minutes of downtime, which adds up quickly in a high-volume operation like egg processing.

Beyond the reliability issues, cost was a significant barrier. Each OEM set cost $120, making frequent replacements an expensive proposition in an era when every egg counts. The parts also included pins molded directly into the plastic, adding complexity to any repair or replacement process.

Our Solution: Custom 3D Printed Upgrades

3D Printed Denester Prototype

Enter Mass Additive. We collaborated closely with Douglas and his team to redesign and produce an upgraded version of the part using advanced 3D printing technology. By utilizing high-performance materials suited for the demands of food processing environments, we created a durable, cost-effective alternative that addressed the root causes of failure.

One key innovation was maintaining compatibility with the existing pins from the OEM parts. Douglas's team was able to press the pins out of the old components and seamlessly insert them into our 3D printed versions, minimizing waste and simplifying the transition.

The result? A set of custom 3D printed parts that cost just $9 each—a staggering 92% reduction compared to the OEM price. This affordability allowed Lesher Poultry Farm to stock up and replace parts proactively without breaking the bank, a critical advantage in today’s egg market.

Impressive Results: Longer Life, Less Downtime

The proof is in the performance. The 3D printed parts have now been in service for over 6 months, significantly outlasting the standard OEM lifespan. While not all OEM parts have been replaced yet—Douglas's team is swapping them out as failures occur—the transition is underway, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

By reducing breakage and downtime, these upgrades have helped streamline operations at Lesher Poultry Farm, ensuring smoother egg processing and fewer interruptions. The main driver for this switch? As Douglas put it, "The expense of the OEM part" was the tipping point, but the enhanced durability has been an unexpected bonus, especially when egg production needs to stay on track to meet demand.

Why 3D Printing Makes Sense for Industrial Upgrades

This project highlights the versatility of additive manufacturing in solving real-world problems, particularly in an industry under pressure from rising costs and public attention. Traditional injection molding is great for high-volume production, but for custom, low-volume needs like this, 3D printing offers rapid prototyping, material flexibility, and significant cost savings. At Mass Additive, we're passionate about helping businesses like Lesher Poultry Farm optimize their equipment, reduce costs, and boost efficiency—keeping eggs on the table without breaking the budget.

If you're facing similar challenges with fragile components, downtime, or high replacement costs in your operations, we'd love to help. Contact us today to explore how 3D printing can transform your setup—just like it did for Lesher Poultry Farm, cracking the code on reliable egg processing in a high-stakes market.