RECYCLED PLASTICS | MATERIALS


new materials through the rigorous virtual durabil- ity and safety tests required for automotive endorsement,” says Guillaume Boisot, Head of the Materials Centre of Excellence at Hexagon. “Our unique multiscale material modelling technology accelerates the adoption of SPC Europe’s ground- breaking recycled materials by making it possible for product development teams to accurately simulate a component and subject it to established automotive engineering test and validation.” This vital data gives product development teams the ability to evaluate the suitability of GF-PP compounds in new designs. Hexagon conducted a rigorous testing and physical validation pro- gramme with SPC Europe to produce highly accurate multi-scale behavioural models of its Thermofil HP grades and Thermofil Circle portfolio of recycled PP grades. Each material grade has a model that simulates


the materials’ mechanical and environmental performance throughout a component’s lifecycle. The encrypted proprietary material models can be accessed by SPC Europe customers through Hexagon’s Digimat software which is interoperable with popular CAE software tools such as MSC Nastran, Marc, and third-party software. A recent collaboration has involved Cabopol


Polymer Compounds, which has over 60 years of experience in the research, development, and production of thermoplastic and crosslinked compounds, teaming up with Dunlop Protective Footwear. As part of this strategic partnership Cabopol has created R-Polyprime, which includes 30% recycled material content, for use in Dunlop’s PVC footwear. R-Polyprime is described as the next generation of Polyprime compounds, which can be customised to meet specific needs. The new compounds meet all major footwear requirements and standards, such as REACH and RoHS regula- tions, while maintaining the same properties as virgin materials.


CLICK ON THE LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION: � www.benvic.com � www.sabic.com � www.eurotec-ep.com � www.hella.com � www.covestro.com � www.borealisgroup.com � www.domochemicals.com � www.trinseo.com � www.sumikaeurope.com � https://hexagon.com � https://cabopol.com � https://environment.ec.europa.eu


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European Union plans 25% recycled plastics target in new cars


The European Commission has set out its plans for replacing the End-of-Life Vehicles (ELV) Directive which it hopes will lead to an annual reduction of 12.3m tonnes of CO2 emissions by 2035. There is a particular focus on plastics: a key proposal is for at least 25% of plastics used to build a vehicle comes from recycling, and of that amount 25% would come from recycled ELVs. There were positive industry responses to the Commission’s


proposals announced in mid-July. Virginia Janssens, Managing Director, Plastics Europe, said: “Many of the plastics used in the automotive industry are high performance products which require the highest quality of polymers available, and which can be very difficult to recycle. Therefore, the ambitious 25% recycled content targets proposed by the Commission can only be met with a combination of mechanical recycling, and innovative technologies such as chemical recycling.” The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA),


however, was more concerned that the new proposals risk dupli- cating or complicating already existing rules and industry best practices on sustainable design. “We are committed to the design-for-sustainability principle, and high recycling rates prove that these practices work,” said Sigrid de Vries, ACEA’s Director General. “While the proposal is pushing for ambitious recycled content targets, European auto manufacturers believe law makers should instead focus on ensuring a coherent legislative framework that balances conflicting waste, product, and chemical regulations for vehicle.” ACEA said that vehicles are one of the most complex products to design on the market, comprising a diverse range of parts com- posed of multiple materials where recycling technologies may not yet be available. It argues this is particularly true for the increasingly greener and more intelligent vehicles entering the market. For example, it said some newer models use carbon fibre reinforced materials that can reduce carbon footprint and energy consumption but are challenging to recycle and can contaminate waste streams.


September 2023 | INJECTION WORLD 21


IMAGE: AUDI


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