MATERIALS | PRODUCT DESIGN
Appliance, at Covestro in the US. “We collaborate early on with our customers, helping them to overcome their product design, engineering and materials challenges. This approach accelerates innovation, which is particularly critical given the rapid electronics product life cycle.” As an example, a highlighted development was
Above:
Automotive front module concept in a new design made of
polycarbonate from Covestro
concepts, says the company. Covestro says the front section of future cars will be characterised by three-dimensional, joint-less and glass-like surfaces – the classic radiator grille will be obsolete. According to the company, this enables manufac- turers to differentiate their models from the competition, while integrating more functions in less space.
Right: Covestro and its partners have devel- oped a high- performance thermoplastic (HPT) that could be used in many industries, such as aviation, automotive and medicine in large-format production processes
New design opportunities will also be available using a new material from Covestro with a positive eco-balance. Covestro and its partners have developed a high-performance thermoplastic (HPT) that could be used in many industries, such as aviation, automotive and medicine in large- format production processes, which would significantly increase the sustainability and perfor- mance of products. The challenge now is to enable the continuous production of the new plastic on a large scale. This is the goal of a research project coordinated by Covestro and funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Test batches of the new HPT material, which has high hardness and is resistant to heat and many solvents, are already being produced. Covestro recently attended CES 2019 – the Las Vegas exhibition for the latest consumer product technologies – to demonstrate how, as a materials partner, it is able to help bring next generation technologies to market. Covestro highlighted applications utilising its polycarbonates and polycarbonate blends tailored to electronics, IT and communications applications. The company says that these materi- als offer a balanced combination of properties including high flowability, stiffness, toughness, heat resistance, flame retardance and good aesthetics. “Successfully taking a product from concept to
commercialisation requires being able to juggle multiple factors,” says Joel Matsco, Senior Market- ing Manager Polycarbonates – Electronics and
22 INJECTION WORLD | January/February 2019
Embr Wave – an intelligent bracelet that allows people to alter the way they feel temperature. According to manufacturer Embr Labs, the brace- let’s scientifically developed waveforms precisely stimulate a person’s thermoreceptors, leveraging the body’s natural systems to make the wearer feel cooler or warmer by up to five degrees in just a few minutes. The technology is based on a break- through physiological insight: warming or cooling specific parts of the human body can make some- one feel more comfortable without changing his or her core body temperature. This is because thermo- receptor stimulation – for example, at the wrist – trig- gers the specific regions of the brain that control thermoregulation and pleasure, says Embr Labs. Embr Labs developed the product through years
of iterative prototyping and customer testing. When it came time for the production design, the com- pany wanted to use a frosted light pipe with LEDs as the primary user interface. “We turned to Covestro to help select the right material and optimise the design for optical performance,” says Embr Labs Co-founder Sam Shames. Based on the require-
ments, Embr Labs chose Makrolon 2407 polycarbon- ate, a UV-stabilised grade that offers proven perfor- mance for electronics, IT and telecommunications applica- tions. For the Embr Wave,
diffusers and optical brighteners were compounded into the resin to
achieve the desired visual effect. An Italian manufacturer of electric two-wheelers has specified the use of Thermolast K from Krai- burg TPE for two precision gasketing applications on the new battery boxes of a growing range of power-assisted bikes and electro-scooters. Askoll, based in Vicenza, is using the thermoplastic elastomer material for an anti-rattle overmoulding of the battery connector and for water-tight sealing of the battery box. Key requirements to be met included reliable direct adhesion to glass-filled PBT on small contact surfaces. Electric vehicles need innovative materials that will support their silent travel by eliminating
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