PRODUCT DESIGN | MATERIALS
Design collaboration is key to material success
Resin manufacturers continue to develop materials that not only meet performance needs, but also deliver the aesthetic qualities that product designers are looking for. Mark Holmes reports
Material suppliers for the injection moulding industry are increasingly required to work closely with product designers to achieve the aims of the brand owner, while also striving to meet the performance characteristics that the product needs. The look of the final product may be vital to catch the eye of the consumer, differentiate the product in a crowded market place or highlight important safety features, for example. Eastman has collaborated with DW Designs to mould and test beryllium models in ear monitor housings using a variety of materials, highlighting the audio clarity of Eastman Tritan copolyester and Eastman Trēva engineering bioplastics. “Eastman wished to understand how our polymers might improve acoustic performance in audio applica- tions,” says John Quigley, Senior Application Development Engineer for Eastman. “We worked with DW Designs to test housings moulded in an incumbent polycarbonate material, as well as
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Eastman’s copolyester and cellulosic resins.” Eastman and DW Designs tested each of the polymers for both cumulative spectral decay (CSD) and total harmonic distortion (THD). Data indicated the copolyester outperformed the polycarbonate, while the cellulosic offered superior results, both in terms of clean response and lower distortion. Specifically, the polycarbonate had the most peaks for resonance whereas the cellulosic had the lowest overall level of measured THD. Eastman says that data demonstrated that Tritan copolyester and Eastman Trēva engineering bioplastic both have superior damping characteris- tics relative to polycarbonate. Furthermore, expert listener feedback demonstrated that consumers were able to hear fine details better and preferred the acoustic performance of Tritan and Trēva. Eastman has also worked with Solac to intro- duce the first double blender made with Tritan copolyester. The Solac Orbit is driven by a powerful
Main image: Embr Labs chose Coves- tro’s Makrolon 2407 polycar- bonate, a UV-stabilised grade that offers proven performance for electronics, IT and telecom- munications applications, for the Embr Wave temperature bracelet
January/February 2019 | INJECTION WORLD 17
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