PIGMENTS | SPECIAL EFFECT
A new line of 10 silk-effect colours has been developed by Grafe for filament-based 3Dprint applications
polymer blend carrier can be used as a single colour or combined for different colour shades and incorporated with 3D-printing polymers to pro- duce high gloss when printed. The company used its in-house filament extruder and 3D printer to identify which pigments would avoid matting and create the required high gloss. “Up to now, there has only been a small choice of colours for high- gloss filaments on the 3D printing market. We want to change that,” says Schulze.
Right: Grafe combined colour, special effects and fragrances in its latest offering for the cosmetics industry
polymer, the external influenc- ing factors, the temperature as well as the areas of applica- tion,” Schulze says. The company is currently working to obtain food-contact approval for the additive masterbatch. Grafe says other colour effects and scents can also be combined, such as yellow with a lemon scent or green with a mint scent. The combined effect is designed primarily as a market- ing tool, but the company says it could also have the advantage of hiding bad odour or even “the typical plastic smell.” Schulze says that while most of the fragrances it offers act by masking, its Fresh Air fragrance also contains a component that captures odours. Another new product family from Grafe is designed to provide a silk effect specifically for 3D-printing applications. Ten basic colours in a
Haptic effects Textile surface haptics, which can be created through the use of addi- tives, are also proving popular, according to Grafe. “By combin- ing plastic with flakes, nature- based fibres or particles, a visually and haptically high-quality surface is created that refines a suitable
texture and, for example, makes subsequent lacquering superfluous,” says Danny Ludwig, Head of Product Man-
agement Colour and Functional Masterbatches at the company. “It’s not so much about the surface texture, but rather the effect to be achieved is the focus of the optical symbiosis.” During K2022, the company showed some injection moulded textile surface haptic samples in PP, but Ludwig says the effect can also be used in other polymers. The company is also testing the effects in profile extrusion. The company says the effect could be used in a wide range of applications, extending from toys and display panels, through to household goods, furniture, and suitcases.
� Follow us on...
Be the first to know when we publish a new edition, plus updates on our conferences and useful links.
www.twitter.com/plasticsworld
I
M
G
A
E
S
:
G
R
A
F
E
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64
