MATERIALS | WEEE
Right: Ayúdame3D produces 3D printed prosthetics
long-term study by UL. The test rods were heated to four different test temperatures in several ovens, and at intervals the UL experts subjected rods to impact and tensile tests. These test series were designed to simulate not only thermal ageing, but also the use of the material. At the end of the project, the customer’s desired
Below: Engel produced this housing with Roctool
technology using PCR ABS from Bage Plastics
RTI target of around 75° C had been exceeded. Huskic says: “This new ABS is not only ideal for coffee machine producers, but can also be used especially well in the field of electrical appliances. Let’s think of a WLAN router, for example: they are getting smaller and smaller and have more and more power, so temperature resistance is naturally an important issue. But we will also continue to offer our previous ABS, because RTI values of 60° C are sufficient for many applications.” Another WEEE recycler, Bage Plastics in Austria, has also developed a UL-certified rABS compound with a higher RTI value of 95° C. The new R200840 RFHI 8595 C9005 material has been developed for engineering applications in the electronics sector and in automotive interiors, where maximum performance at high temperatures is required. The company says its high-grade recycled polymers can be used as replacements for virgin plastics or can be combined with virgin materials to produce high- tech products with recycled content. It says that a study has shown its PCR ABS material generates 81% lower CO2 emissions than virgin ABS. Bage has demonstrated the high surface quality possible with PCR ABS in a project with injection moulding machine group Engel and induction technology group Roctool. The partners have produced a housing which Bage says is “a game- changing result for various high-end applications” as it enables rABS to be used in visible parts. At K 2022, Engel produced the housing on an E-mac 465/160 injection moulding machine. The part has a 1.2 mm thin wall in order to save material. Engel said the mould cavity is laser engraved to create innovative patterns on the top side of the box, and there are fixtures for installing fans and connectors on the side surfaces. MBA Polymers UK has launched a
new ABS compound with UL certification which
provides a high-quality recycled alternative to virgin ABS used in electronics, automotive and con- sumer goods. The ABS 4125 UL compound can contain up to 95%+ PCR material, according to the company. This is the first of a new range of pre- mium recycled polymers to be launched by MBA Polymers UK, which is the plastics division of metals
42 PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD | July/August 2023
recycling group EMR. By 2030, the company’s target is to deliver 100,000 tonnes of recycled plastics content to manufacturers in a range of markets and industries, including high-perfor- mance polymers such as ABS. MBA Polymers UK says it “benefits from a reliable, high-quality feedstock including end-of-life vehicles, household appliances and the waste material from the construction industry”. The new ABS compound is derived from the waste electronics sector. Major styrenic resin producers, such as Elix
Polymers and Repsol, have also entered the recycled ABS market, following both the mechani- cal and chemical recycling routes (see styrenics feature in Plastics Recycling World January-Febru- ary 2023 issue). The two Spain-based companies teamed up in mechanical recycling of ABS for a 3D printing application. The customer was Spanish start-up Ayúdame3D which produces 3D printed prosthetics called Trésdesis, which are provided free of charge to people throughout the world. Elix says: “The project has been possible thanks to the collaboration with two large companies: Repsol that donated 4,000 pieces of ABS boards to the association, coming from computer equipment that would have otherwise been discarded; and Leitat, which is a technology centre of excellence. Leitat has created spools using the raw material recovered by Elix for the subsequent 3D printing and manufacturing of Trésdesis, which are 3D printed arms for the wrist, elbow or shoulder.”
CLICK ON THE LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION: �
https://mgg-recycling.com �
https://bage-plastics.com �
www.mbapolymers.co.uk �
www.elix-polymers.com �
www.repsol.com
www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com
IMAGE: ENGEL
IMAGE: AYÚDAME3D
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