The VR glove from the 3D printer
26/12/2022
In a project called "Manufhaptics", researchers at Empa, together with EPFL and ETH Zurich, want to develop a VR glove that will make virtual worlds tangible. The VR glove is to be created using a 3D printing process and will have three different actuators.
Joining Forces: Fast-as-lightning 3D Microprinting with Two Lasers
19/12/2022
A research team from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), the University of Heidelberg, and the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) developed a laser printing process that can print micrometer-sized parts within a very short time.
Bend it like PU – Plastics in sport
30/11/2022
Today, no one can imagine leather balls, wooden rackets, bamboo poles or cinder tracks in sporting competition. Natural materials have now been almost completely replaced by other materials: plastics. They are light, robust and highly functional. Thanks to intensive research, they are also becoming more and more efficient – and ultimately lead to new world records.
Covestro collaboration with SABIC unlocks improved recyclability for mono-material flexible plastic pouches
21/11/2022
The company Covestro AG has developed a new heat-resistant coating for use on mono-material stand-up pouches made with SABIC's PE/BOPE technology. The coating facilitates high-speed industrial production of stand-up pouches made with SABIC® BOPE biaxially oriented polyethylene. The new solution enables simpler, single-stream recycling.
First Boeing 777 with AeroSHARK takes off on passenger flights
15/11/2022
The first Boeing operated by Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) took off on a passenger flight equipped with the new Surface technology developed jointly by Lufthansa Technik and BASF. Modified aircraft now begins validation of savings potential in daily flight operations. The fuel and emissions savings of around one percent calculated.
Shining light on why plastics turn yellow
21/10/2022
A research team has investigated whether intended nanostructures formed by UV light could be the cause of yellowing of polyethylene. The result was that chiral chemical structures form on the surfaces of polyethylene films during exposure to UV light and are a possible cause of the yellow color of old plastics. These findings could help researchers develop plastic products that last longer.
"CMF has an opportunity to really understand all those different consumers"
21/09/2022
Falza Khanani talks about the different possibilites of Color, Material and Finish design.
A new self-healing coating material
19/09/2022
A transparent protective coating material that can heal itself within 30 minutes when exposed to sunlight has been developed by a research team from the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT).
Gorgeous plastics – circular aesthetics
14/09/2022
Few materials can compete with plastics when it comes to functional versatility, but the same can also be said for creating aesthetic expressions with plastics. At a time when they are often associated with generally negative press most consumer brands want to shy away from it is a material family. It needs to readdress the balance and play to more durable, higher-value stories.
BASF and BMW Group rely on renewable raw materials for automotive coatings
06/06/2022
The BMW Group is the first automotive manufacturer to use OEM coatings from BASF that are certified according to the biomass balance process. By using new sustainable product variants, around 40% CO2 can be avoided for clear coat and dip coating.
Safely above the clouds – plastics in aviation
13/04/2022
Around 10,000 m altitude, speeds of almost 1,000 km/h, outside temperatures as low as -60°C. One of the reasons why we as airline passengers don't notice any of this is because of plastics. These are not only mechanically and chemically resistant, but also lightweight. And lighter aircraft cause fewer CO2 emissions, which is of great importance for achieving climate targets.
SWISS equips entire Boeing long-haul fleet with AeroSHARK
11/04/2022
Twelve Boeing 777-300ERs will gradually be fitted by SWISS with the riblet films developed by Lufthansa Technik and BASF. The reduced frictional resistance makes the sub-fleet more economical and lower in emissions, thus reducing the environmental footprint.
3D printing: InfraredTags make plastics communicative
31/01/2022
Shopping can be exhausting, for example when you first have to find the price label of a product or rush through the aisles looking for alternative products. All of this could be done at a glance while shopping – if InfraredTags were integrated into a product's packaging.
Anna Rottstegge
08/12/2021
Head of Research & Development, Reifenhäuser Reiloy
Covestro receives the German Design Award for its CMF Aesthetics Toolkit
01/12/2021
As announced by the German Design Council, Covestro's CMF Aesthetics Toolkit will receive the German Design Award 2022 in the category "Excellent Product Design – Material and Surfaces." The toolkit is designed to inspire designers to explore the many aesthetic and functional possibilities of polycarbonate in the field of color, material and finish (CMF).
New tool to predict polymer properties
15/09/2021
An interdisciplinary team of researchers has developed a powerful mathematical modelling tool that will allow researchers to predict the properties of polymer networks before they are even created.
Bio-based coating for wood better than traditional synthetic options
09/08/2021
Due to the global efforts to meet sustainability standards, many countries are currently looking to replace concrete with wood in buildings. France, for example, will require that all new public buildings will be made from at least 50 percent wood or other sustainable materials starting in 2022.
Printed polymers with active ingredient
20/07/2021
3D printing can be used to produce versatile, individual shapes. This type of extrusion process is therefore not only popular in the plastics industry – it is also suitable for medical technology applications. Only the right polymers have to be found first.