DirectCoating (DC) with polyurethane (PU) coating systems is a new process for producing functionally highly integrated and nobly decorated plastic parts economically and sustainably. Rühl Puromer GmbH and Covestro have joined forces to expand the technology’s suitability for large-scale production. “We want to open up the process for broad use in electromobility and autonomous driving applications and use it, for example, to manufacture large area decorative parts with multifunctional, seamlessly integrated display, operating and ambient lighting elements for car interiors,” explains Dr. Olaf Zöllner, head of application development Europe in Covestro’s Engineering Plastics business entity. “We also see good opportunities in highly integrated passenger car exterior parts such as spoilers, radar covers, front fascias and pillar trim with touch panels for vehicle access. There is also great potential in medical, communications and IT technology,” adds Dr. Ingo Kleba, managing director at Rühl Puromer.

Almost unlimited design freedom The DC process combines two established technologies in one process: injection molding of thermoplastics and reaction injection molding (RIM) of PU systems. First, a thermoplastic carrier is produced in a mold cavity and then transferred to a second cavity, which is enlarged by the thickness of the coatin layer. There, the PU system is then injected onto the carrier.

The PU coatings offer unusually great freedom in design. The surface of the component can be made transparent, translucent, or colored through, and it can be made highly resistant to chemical media such as fatty skin creams or given leather-like soft-touch haptics. Filigree surface structures can be precisely molded. High-gloss areas can be directly adjacent to matte structures. In addition, there is no need to invest in separate painting systems. Compared with spray painting, there is no paint loss due to overspray, and there is less scrap due to painting errors. Scratches that disappear by themselves Covestro has built up special PC and PC blend compounds under the Makrolon, Bayblend and Makroblend brands for the DC process, as well as an extensive modular range of coating raw materials without solvent additives – such as special Desmodur isocyanate crosslinkers and Desmophen polyols – for PU coatings. For the DC process, Rühl offers, among others, the light- and color-stable 2K PU coating systems puroclear. Their RIM cycle times are usually at least equal to those of injection molding. The systems contain an “internal release function” that has been proven in series production many times. The mold, therefore, does not have to be sprayed with a release agent. This contributes to short cycle times and a simple process. In addition, self-healing variants have been added to the product range (reflow effect). Ingo Kleba: “Superficial scratches in the paint, which are quickly caused by vehicle keys or stone chips, for example, disappear by themselves over time.

The components retain their appearance, value and function for longer, which means maximum suitability for everyday use.” Strong bond even after hydrolytic aging Makrolon and transparent puroclear grades adhere firmly to each other in themselves. There was still room for improvement in terms of adhesion during aging. The development partners, therefore, optimized several material combinations and assessed their adhesive strengths in the POSI peel test (ISO 4624). “We can now offer material systems that meet OEM adhesion specifications even after prolonged aging in hot and humid environments,” says Zöllner.

Precise simulation of the PU filling process and warpage are essential for the optimal performance of a DC component. Covestro has developed suitable tools for this purpose. “With a new calculation method based on a two-phase CFD (computational fluid dynamics) simulation, it is now possible to precisely determine where air bubbles form during filling and whether they remain in the component or reach the mold vent. This was not possible with previous methods,” explains Christoph Bontenackels, responsible for the calculation of DC components at Covestro. A new calculation tool is also available for simulating component distortion. It can be used to find the optimum layer thickness ratio for 3D structures with larger wall thickness jumps, at which warpage and cycle times are minimal. Outlook – integration of films the development partners want to expand the range of applications for the DC process even further. One approach is to integrate foils into the process in order to expand the possibilities for functional integration. For example, foils can be printed with conductive tracks and circuit diagrams on the reverse side, which is a prerequisite for equipping operating panels with backlit, inductive key functions.

For more details:  www.covestro

A New Joint Investment Into Bio Based Ethylene Production For Bio Based Polyethylene In Thailand

Chemicals Business, SCG, is one of the biggest integrated petrochemical companies in Thailand and a key industry leader all over Asia offers an extensive range of petrochemical products covering from upstream production of olefins to downstream production of 3 main plastics resins; polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyvinyl chloride.

To better serve customers’ demands, SCG assigns prime importance to the development of new technology and innovation for the creation of high value-added products (HVA) and service commitments.

Braskem biopolymer producer around the globe has signed a memorandum of understanding (Mou) with SCG Chemicals, one of the largest integrated petrochemical companies in Thailand and an industry leader in Asia, to perform studies to jointly invest in a new bio-ethanol dehydration plant in Thailand to produce bio-ethylene and bio-based polyethylene.

Tanawong Areeratchakul, President of SCG Chemicals adds: “We are committed to sustainability and advancing circular economy for a better society and environment. This MOU means we are examining potential opportunities for partnering and investing with Braskem to bring the production of bio-based polyethylene to Asia. This would help us to meet our pledge to become “Chemicals Business for Sustainability” and ensuring social and environmental stewardship following Esg standards (Environmental, Social, and Governance) while fostering United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) and fulfill the increasing market demand towards environmentally friendly products in accordance with the guidelines for the development of Bio-Circular-Green Economy: BCG Model of Thailand.”

If the feasibility studies are approved with mutual agreement between parties, the production facility would be located in Map Ta Phut, Rayong, Thailand. This Project would allow the combination of Braskem’s technology and bio-plastics know-how with SCG Chemicals’ knowledge of the Asian market and expertise in PE production.

For more details:  www.scgchemicals

Solugen Raises Over $350 Million In Series C Funding Led By Baillie Gifford & GIC To Make Carbon Negative Chemicals

The company decarbonizing the chemicals industry announced a Series C financing round of over $350 million. GIC and Baillie Gifford led the round with participation from Temasek Holdings, funds, and accounts managed by BlackRock, Carbon Direct Capital Management, Refactor Capital, and Fifty Years.

Solugen’s patented Bioforge processes produce chemicals from bio-based feedstocks and are based on discoveries in synthetic biology, metal catalyst engineering, and modular plant design. The company’s green products are cost-competitive and also drastically reduce or eliminate emissions. Solugen is a platform chemistry company, and the company’s solutions will also address clean water, sustainable materials, safer food, and healthy personal care.

“Our breakthroughs in enzyme and metal catalyst engineering allow us to produce chemicals in a more sustainable and profitable way,” said Dr. Gaurab Chakrabarti, CEO, and co-founder of Solugen.  “We can now deliver for our customer’s performance benefits, cost savings, and most importantly, lower carbon footprints.”

The latest round of funding will be used to expand Solugen’s Bioforge technology platform, which is used to produce lower-carbon and carbon-negative chemicals & materials for its key customers and to expand the reach of Solugen’s product portfolio. “This fundraising round allows us to continue expanding the footprint of our Bioforge technology to give industries the products they need to reduce emissions in their existing supply chains, without compromising on performance or economics,” said Solugen co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Dr. Sean Hunt.

The BioForge achieves highly profitable and carbon-negative molecular manufacturing by simultaneously satisfying four parameters: bio-based feedstocks, high selectivity, high yields, and high throughput. This enables Bio Forge to convert inexpensive feedstock directly into valuable product molecules while avoiding the formation of waste products.

For more details:  www.solugen.bio

Think big, think smart:

Extra-wide CPP-lines for maximum cost-efficiency at high volumes

When it comes the production of CPP film, i. e. for the metallised packaging of food and textiles, there is a clear trend towards high-volume production. But is the ability of to manufacture high quantities at good qualities alone enough to get the edge in today’s markets? SML has the answer.

“We from SML would say that machinery, that is reliably delivering premium-quality film in constantly high volumes is a prerequisite. But at the end, the final key to commercial success are productivity and low unit costs,” says Christian Malzner, Sales Manager, India. This is why SML is continuously further-developing the widths of its CPP lines in accordance with raising maximum output quantities. This happens especially with regard to the markets in Asia, where SML premium CPP lines with a width of more than 5 meters are in operation for years. Recently, SML sold two extra-wide CPP lines with film widths of 6.5 meters and with an output-capacity of up to 20 000 metric tons per year to Asian customers. 

Bringing unit-costs down

Compared to other lines for CPP film, SML’s extra-wide CPP lines have a considerably lower ratio of edge trims. Additionally, the inline feedback of the edge trim scrap by a scraptruder essentially contributes to its commercial success. Labour costs per unit on extra-wide lines are also lower, as they do not require additional personnel to produce higher volumes. And also in terms of power consumption (kW/kg), extra-wide lines clearly beat smaller CPP film machinery.

CPP films for metallisation: perfect conditions for premium qualities

A frequent extruder-combination in SML’s extra-wide CPP lines is Ø 180/90/90/90/90mm. Extruders from SML, which produce CPP films for metallisation in a subsequent separate process, are additionally equipped with disc or candle filters. These large area filters are capable of eliminating even small gel particles. This avoids defects in the film at the following metallising process. For extra-wide CPP cast film lines, SML recommends its turret winder W6000 with a maximum outer roll diameter of 1,300mm. Bigger roll diameters are a major boost in production efficiency for the manufacturing of metallising CPP films. Due to longer running times at the metalliser, there are less roll changes with less film waste. SML’s turret winder W6000 enables a roll length of 50 000 meters or – 50 km! – of 25 μm film.

Quality, reliability, service
SML is a globally reputated technology leader for extrusion systems. Machinery developed and manufactured from SML stand for high standards in terms of reliability, longevity and output quality. Partnering with SML provides you a reliable project implementation and a proven track record of adhering to the agreed times, costs, and performance values. 

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