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The plastics industry has a variety of materials and technologies available for significantly reducing the ecological footprint of products. There are very few applications for which it is not possible to replace at least a portion of the fossil material with recyclates or bioplastics. Various methods, standards and software tools are available to determine what savings this can achieve.

Determining CO2 Savings from Recycled Materials and Bioplastics

Recycling

Normen / Standards

Biokunststoffe

Kunststoff Werkstoffe

Kunststoff-Recycling

Kunststoff-Rezyklat

Reducing the CO2 Footprint

With a newly developed process from Entex it was possible to compound an injection grade compound of PLA with a 50 % wood flour content.

The PLA compound with 50 % wood flour content was successfully produced on Entex’s planetary roller extruder

16:9

Compounding PLA Formulations with a 50 % Wood Flour Content, without Premixing

Compound

Extruder

Kunststoff

Extrusionsanlagen

Compoundieren

Direct to Highly Filled Bioplastics

After oil extraction and drying, Coffee grounds can be incorporated into plastic compounds as a filler and coloring agent.

The coffee grounds compounds can be used for computer accessories such as a housing of a computer mouse

Bioplastics with Coffee Grounds as a Bio-Based Filler

Füllstoffe, mineralisch

Füllstoffe, allgemein

Füllstoffe für Kunststoffe

Additive

Coffee Infusion for Plastic Compounds

The right additive can enhance the processing and material properties of biodegradable polyesters. Blending a pair of additives into polyesters leads to much stronger effects.

The additive Vinnex 2525 increases the melt strength of PLA, helping to produce a robust blown film extrusion process and constant film thickness 

Additive Combination Improves Properties and Processability of Biodegradable Polymers

Kunststoffe, bioabbaubar

Teamwork for Better Performance

With a glass fiber-filled PA6, Lanxess has presented the first product in a product family specially manufactured from sustainable raw materials. The materials for this come e.g. from the energy group bp.

Polyamide 6 compound made from 92 % sustainable raw materials

Kunststoffe, biobasiert

Polyamide

Kreislaufwirtschaft

PA6 Compound Made from 92 % Sustainable Raw Materials

Over past months, many in-house workflows and development processes have slowed down and also changed. Nevertheless, time has not stood still, also not in injection molding technology. The debate and development have been shaped by two themes: digitalization and the circular economy. Below are some examples of developments and projects that underpin this trend.

Two displays are seamlessly integrated into the continuously 3D-formed instrument panel

Innovative Injection Molding in Times of Pandemic

Spritzgießen

Schaumspritzgießen

Künstliche Intelligenz für die Qualitätssicherung

Steuern, Regeln

Mehrkomponenten-Spritzgießen

Folientechnik (IMD, IML, FIM, u.a.)

Digitale Transformation

Spritzgießwerkzeuge

Spritzgieß-Sonderverfahren

Nachhaltigkeit

Spritzgießsimulation

Schnecken und Plastifiziersysteme

Industrie 4.0 für die Kunststoffverarbeitung

Machine Learning / Künstliche Intelligenz für die spanende Fertigung

Spritzgießmaschinen

Lasermarkieren

Inline- / Online-Messsysteme

There Is More beyond the Horizon

The circular economy and more sustainable additives are the focus of AF Color’s Fakuma presence this year.

The circular economy and more sustainable additives are the focus of AF Color’s trade show presence this year

Masterbatches

Messe Fakuma

Hochleistungskunststoffe

Biobased Additives and Orange for PA

For a cutlery series made of a new biopolymer, three full hot runner molds with digital process monitoring were developed in close cooperation with mold maker Uniform and hot runner specialist Ewikon.

The 16-drop family mold on the machine. The removal and packaging of the parts are fully automated

Complete Digital Hot Runner Solution for Automated Biopolymer Processing

Condition Monitoring / Prozessüberwachung

Virtual Reality für die Qualitätssicherung

Heißkanalsysteme

Process Reliability Is Crucial

As a result of the Corona crisis, press manufacturer Wickert sees only a temporary slowdown in the growth forecasts for composite technologies. The company currently sees four trends in system engineering.

Composite press for research: for scientists at the Chemnitz University of Technology, Wickert developed a highly flexible four-column upper piston press which offers a high level of freedom and diversity in application

The Demand for Composites Will Keep Growing in the Future

Composite-Halbzeuge

Pressen

Duroplaste

Automatisierungstechnik

Naturmaterialien

Thermoplaste

Trends in Composite Manufacturing

Polymers distributor K. D. Feddersen will be presenting various new materials at the Fakuma trade-show which it will be sharing with other companies in the group.

M Vera bio-based compounds are also suitable for food contact

Elektromobilität

Wide Range of Materials at a Shared Booth

Sustainable development is the focus of the Israeli company Tosaf’s trade show presence. The company presents functional, color and combined masterbatches for processing by extrusion and injection molding. These will include color masterbatches for recyclates with a special focus on post-consumer plastics as well as biodegradable masterbatches.

Special masterbatches can be used for permanent orange coloring of high-voltage components in electric vehicles

Farbstoffe und Pigmente

Farbkonzentrate (Batches)

Farbstoffe

Masterbatches for Current Trends

Different kinds of methods are available for the processing of bead foams. Common to all processes is the welding of the single expanded beads, which can be challenging. A research project shows that the process can also be carried out with blends of PLA and polyhydroxybutyrate-co-valerate PHBV.

Fig. 1. Sintering of the foamed beads takes place between the two melting points of the used polymer, which can be seen from the DSC curve (schematic diagram)

Blends of PLA and PHBV as Replacement for Expanded Polystyrene

Blend

Partikelschäumen

Schäumen / Reaktive Verarbeitung

Bio-Based Polymer Alternatives  for Bead Foams

The so-called M·Vera grades can be processed in the injection molding process and in the extrusion process.

Application example of environment-friendly cosmetics packaging

Bio-Fed’s Contribution to the EU Green Deal 2030

Sustainable PLA-Based Compounds

Bio-based plastics can lock away vast quantities of CO2 in durable, recyclable applications and make a real contribution to climate protection. All that is needed for this is the right product design and a functioning circular economy. By focusing more on this approach, the plastics sector has the chance to evolve into a key industry of a green economy.

Furniture and furnishings with a long service life are the ideal applications for bioplastics

20:7

How Bio-Based Polymers Can Help Sequester CO2 for the Long Term

Kunststofffasern

Into the Future with Biopolymers

A year to forget is nearing its completion. To brighten up this dreary fall season without a major event like Fakuma, injection molding machine builders have concocted various strategies.

Fig. 1. Ingrinder system solution: the sprue picker guides the removed sprue via vacuum conveyance to the integrated granulator

Injection Molding Machine Builders Are Discovering New Ways to Reach Their Customers

Spritzgießmaschinen, allgemein

Vernetzung / Cloudlösung für die Kunststoffverarbeitung

Schneidmühlen

Silikonkautschuk

What Can You Do at Fall Fairtime,  When There Aren’t Any?

Many people have good ideas and intentions. Few have the courage and determination to put them into practice. The young rezemo entrepreneurs Julian Reitze and Stefan Zender are one successful example. In 2019, some three years after their start-up was founded, the company was already producing well over one million compostable coffee capsules per year.

Sawdust and wood shavings from the woodworking industry, PLA as a binding agent – the recipe for ecologically compatible coffee capsules

A Start-up Produces Organic Coffee Capsules Made of Wood and Plant Starch in Millions

Verbundwerkstoffe / Werkstoffverbunde

Holz

Faserverbundwerkstoffe

Successful with Wood

Arburg Plastic Freeforming is predestined for the additive manufacturing of medtech components. The associated Freeformer-type additive manufacturing systems process the same plastic pellets that are used in injection molding. That makes the open systems very economical to use.

In the AKF process, resorbable original materials such a plate-implants similar to bone, can be manufactured. They are gradually replaced by endogenous tissue

Medical Product Manufacturers Are Processing Original Materials Using the Freeformer

Anlagen Additive Fertigung / 3D-Druck, andere

Additive Fertigung

Medizintechnik

Medizinprodukte

Werkstoffe für additive Verfahren

Arburg Kunststoff Freiformen

New Possibilities for Use  in the Human Body

Borealis, Clariant, Remondis, LyondellBasell – many of the big names in the plastics industry announced partnerships with Neste at, or in advance of, K 2019. The Finnish company is a sought-after partner in the industry.

Interview with Mercedes Alonso, Executive Board Member at Neste

“Chemical Recycling Is Not yet Ready for Commercial Use”