Launched by three material experts — Efrat Friedland, Erik Moth-Müller, and Markus Paloheimo — Positive Plastics aims to provide designers, engineers, and product managers a more accepting outlook on plastics. The agency identify and selects the plastic resins and compounds that address the transition of products towards sustainability and circularity.
Two years ago, at Fakuma 2021, Positive Plastics launched their first kit, which they annually refresh with innovative plastics. These plastics are suitable for injection moulding to produce high-quality products, such as consumer electronics, home appliances, sports goods, automotive interiors, accessories, etc. At the K2022 they launched their second kit, and now, it is time for the third kit, which was presented at the Fakuma trade show, held on 17-21 in Friedrichshafen, Germany, on the booths of Sabic, Mocom, Poracom and Group Pernoud.
For this latest edition, the Positive Plastics team partnered with Roctool to best display the various surface qualities and textures alongside some mechanical properties of the selected materials.
This is how was created the Positive Surfaces kit, showcasing materials that are all 100% post-consumer, mechanically recycled grades: PP, PET, ABS, PC/ABS and ABS with glass fibres. Markus Paloheimo, co-founder of Positive Plastics, designed the sample and Group Pernoud performed the mould modifications while Oerlikon Balzers provided the hot runners. Roctool applied their induction moulding Heat and Cool technology to improve the aesthetics of the recycled plastics.
“I simply love the idea behind Positive Plastics. The kit is an excellent tool for any designer who wants to create more sustainable products. But, I firmly believe that the material is not the only parameter to consider. What about the process? How far can we increase the perceived quality of those materials? How can we improve the look and feel of recycled materials without having to coat them? I was missing this perspective, so I offered Positive Plastics to collaborate and investigate this direction,” said Roctool’s CEO, Mathieu Boulanger.
“We are thrilled to equip designers with additional knowhow and tools to create beautiful and circular products”, added Efrat Friedland, co-founder of Positive Plastics. “Roctool is a proven moulding creation of advanced surfaces, from ultra gloss finishes to very low matte levels. Aside from aesthetic advantages, brands also have a chance to eliminate secondary processes and, as a result, reduce production costs. The induction process improves the overall process, with defects elimination, flow improvement and, depending on the resin grade, cycle time reduction. This is a real chance to bring recyclates to light and boost consumer adoption.”
View online : www.positiveplastics.eu
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