INNOVATION | DESIGN
Right: Pezy designed an electronic product for Wireless Value using both design-for- recycling and design-from- recycling principles
recognised the responsibility that comes from designing consumer products that use a large amount of plastics. “This responsibility made us feel we needed to embrace a sustainable way of working,” he said, which led Pezy to consult Michael Braungart, one of the founders of the Cradle-to-Cradle Design approach. “Design for recycling is very important,”
said Feenstra. “But I think it may be even more important to implement design from recycling. If you do those two, then you really have the proof in hand, that this product is really circular.” There are four elements a designer has to consider in a new product which is to be injection moulded: material, geometry, mould and produc- tion process. He said: “If you do these four right and they are in balance with each other, then in the end you have a good product. This is the way we work. We call it the ‘design waterfall’.” In these four aspects, Pezy has seen a lot of
Below: A
Philips shaver was designed in the PolyCe project
problems arising when implementing PCR plastics during the 10 years of experience the company has in designing products using recyclate. The materials aspect has caused particular difficulties. Using the example of selecting a PP material, Feenstra said a producer of virgin PP gives techni- cal guidance during product design and develop- ment stages. Not only does the producer have a good portfolio of PP materials, it also thinks about the specific application and which material is needed to achieve a certain performance. When it comes to PCR, these materials need to
be sourced from new suppliers, recycling compa- nies which need to be found first. “You have to build the supply network again,” he said. Often these companies lack know-how about materials and applications. Common problems of using a PCR material include its odour, possible ash content and contamination, and the difficulties presented by colour quality. But, said Feenstra, “Melt flow index is actually getting better -- so we also see positive things as well.” In the aspect of geometry, the
designer is provided with a specification for the whole product, but not for individual
parts. So the upper and lower limits of mechanical properties of the part are unknown; CP/CPk values are uncertain; and there is no mould filling simula- tion data. PCR may present difficulties with the mould, such as surface contamination due to outgassing and blocked hot runner systems. In production, PCR usually presents processing
16 INJECTION WORLD | January/February 2020
variations, undermining process stability. Feenstra advises taking “baby steps” when using a PCR material. Try the material on a simple product first, not a multi-part product like a vacuum cleaner. “Get acquainted with the material” and see how it behaves during production and its aesthetic result, he said. As part of the PolyCE project, Pezy designed an
electronic product using both design-for-recycling and design-from-recycling principles. The new product, which measures data in an office environ- ment (temperature, moisture, light etc), was designed for Wireless Value in the Netherlands. “We tried to see how far we could get,” said
Feenstra. “What we learned – not only from this product but also from a Philips Senseo coffee machine – is that you can get very far, if you use your skills as a designer in the right way.” The product looks and behaves exactly the same as if made with virgin plastics, he said. “It’s a design that is attractive, that fits the market and makes use of PCR.” The black housing parts are PCR ABS, while the centre ring part, produced in a range of different colours, is PIR ABS to allow freedom of colour selection. It was also designed with design-for-recycling
features: it is made with one common and easily recyclable plastic, ABS; it takes shredding into consideration by using only screws (not glue) and has no different materials moulded together or materials permanently enclosed; it has no coatings and the brand logo is moulded (not a label); the battery is easy to remove; and its modularity allows different product categories (by way of the colour centre ring) and is design-ready for updates. Professor Kim Ragaert, from the faculty of engineering and architecture at Ghent University, also discussed her work in the PolyCE project as
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IMAGE: POLYCE PROJECT
IMAGE: POLYCE PROJECT
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