Materials

Dutch startup Squad Mobility BV displayed at CES 2024 what it calls “the world’s first solar buggy” –– a compact, affordable, plastic-bodied solar car that charges itself through an integrated solar panel on the roof.

Polymeric materials play a pivotal role in diverse engineering applications, from aerospace to environmental and civil engineering. However, the traditional approach to designing these materials has been experimental and often inefficient, relying on trial and error. This Edisonian method, driven by experience and intuition, comes with inherent drawbacks, including high costs, slow progress, and limited exploration of chemical space.

Jedsy AG, a Swiss startup, has developed a lightweight, autonomous drone designed specifically to speed delivery of laboratory samples and medical supplies to where they are needed.

The use of recycled polymers in manufacturing, particularly for lower-value items like trash bags, has become common but presents challenges in achieving a truly self-sustaining circular economy. Addressing the degradation mechanisms during the processing and use of plastic parts is crucial for developing high-performance materials.

Experts recognize reusability models in packaging as a solution to minimize waste. McKinsey & Company’s use-case scenarios indicate that there are still challenges to resolve before realizing and scaling up the benefits.

PLA flax pot plays a role in bioengineered plant system designed to act as a natural air-purification system in users’ homes. Injection molder M4Factory partnered with French startup Neoplants on the project.

Most companies would like to improve their sustainability but they do not know where to start and do not have a method of assessing their current status. Without knowing where you are starting from it is impossible to plot a route to where you want to get to. 

B.I.G. Yarns has successfully completed initial industrial production runs of virgin polyester BCF yarns, strategically expanding its support for high-end automotive interiors. This addition complements the existing line of polyamide PA6 superior yarns and aims to meet the increasing demand for sustainable materials in the automotive industry.

The first two articles in this series dwelt with the history of product design and the creative process that culminated in hypothetical new injection molded product sketches. The next challenge is to reduce the concept sketches to detailed piece-part drawings or CAD data bases. However, before starting that time consuming process it is highly desirable to determine whether or not the parts of the new product are moldable and what the molds and molded parts will cost.

The robustness of materials under cyclic loading is a critical factor often overshadowed by their tensile strength. Plastics, by nature, exhibit lower fatigue strength than their measured tensile strength, emphasizing the need for meticulous fatigue testing in material selection processes.

3D printing specialist Formlabs on Jan. 9 launched two materials and a new accessory for some of its printers that it says will enable increased production with less hassle, lower resin costs, and reduced waste. The products include a resin pumping system, a polypropylene powder and a new dental resin.

In the face of escalating concerns over food loss, waste, and the imperative need for robust antimicrobial technologies exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, a groundbreaking study introduces polymer-based antibacterial films. This innovative approach seeks to merge antibacterial efficacy with durability, offering a multifaceted solution to contemporary challenges.