Covestro And Uniplan Receive Red Dot Design Award 

• Combined digital and real world experience

• Communicative approach and motto “Crafting Connections With You”

• Prominent lecture program with live broadcasting

• Multiple use of stand construction made of more sustainable materials

• “Best of the Best” interzum Award for Arfinio technology

Covestro and the Cologne-based agency Uniplan are winners of this year’s Red Dot Design Award in the category “Digital Solutions – Trade Fair”. Both partners are being honored for an integrated digital and real-world experience they developed on the occasion of the leading plastics trade fair, K 2022. It is based on three pillars: the digital platform SPACE, the integrated booth concept STAGE including a lecture program and the researcher portrait series MEET THE INNOVATORS. 

“With our multi-layered campaign, we are pursuing the goal of establishing contacts with many partners to advance the industry on its path to climate neutrality and the circular economy,” explains Dr. Christian Haessler, one of the two project managers for K 2022 at Covestro. “This communicative 360° approach was also expressed in the motto of our appearance at K 2022, ‘Crafting Connections With You’.” The Red Dot label has established itself internationally as one of the most coveted seals of quality for good design.

Rüdiger Maeßen, CEO Europe at Uniplan, is equally positive: “The good co-creative collaboration and the innovative concept were fundamental to the success of this holistic campaign. Together with Covestro, we have driven the circular economy agenda in the industry by creating an authentic exchange on multiple channels. Therefore, we are even more pleased that the sustainable campaign approach not only convinced the global target audience, but also the jury of the Red Dot Award.”

Creating connections with digital platform

In order to connect with target groups around the world at an early stage and offer them a holistic, long-term experience as a “home base,” Covestro and Uniplan designed a digital event platform called “SPACE.” It went live several months before the start of the trade show and provided information about planned activities at the booth and the company’s major highlight topics:

• Crafting Circular Economy
• Crafting Electrification
• Crafting Sustainable Living
• Crafting Smart Designs

 A stage for current trends 

These Topic Clusters also formed the basis for the second pillar – the integrated STAGE booth concept. As the other Covestro project manager Dr. Christopher Stillings explains, “Not only the exhibits and topic clusters, but also the wide-ranging lecture program in the central Talks Arena were tailored to these topics. Inspiring guests from well-known companies and universities – all actors in their respective fields – captivated the audience with keynotes on current trends and technologies and during panel discussions. Not only booth visitors participated, but also viewers around the world who followed the live broadcasts via social media.”

Another highlight is the Color Material Finish (CMF) Sample Library, a collection of plastic samples that makes materials visible and tangible. Part of Uniplan´s and Covestro’s STAGE concept is that the booth – or parts of it – can be used repeatedly for further exhibitions. Sustainability aspects and the reduction of CO2 emissions were also at the forefront in the selection of materials for the trade show appearance itself. The success proves both partners right: Thus, the quality of contacts was significantly improved compared to K 2019, and a positive response developed both externally and internally over a longer period of time.

Innovators in the spotlight

While innovative developments are showcased and (hopefully) get the attention they deserve, the researchers behind them are often not visible. In the video series “Meet The Innovators” Covestro gives a voice to some of them and their inventions – see the blog post. They were introduced to a larger audience at K 2022, but prominent guests continue to discuss important innovations and technologies in the “Meet The Innovators” livestream series.

Many inspiring encounters at K 2022 have already led to a large number of new partnerships, technologies and material solutions. They form a valuable basis for developments that Covestro plans to showcase at the next major trade show appearance at K 2025. The company’s motto may be different then – but the message remains that partnerships are the key to achieving a climate-neutral and circular economy: “Crafting Connections With You”.

A Red Dot Award rarely comes alone

Back in May 2023, Covestro and its partner Accesso Dynamics were honored with an award offered by Red Dot and Koelnmesse. At the furniture supplier trade show interzum 2023, they received the “Best of the Best” interzum Award for their Arfinio technology. This technology, first presented at K 2022, enables products with complex but seamless shapes. The development also contributes to sustainability, as the products are partly made from bio-based raw materials, are repairable and can be mechanically recycled at the end of their useful life.

Covestro and Uniplan were also nominated for the Heavent Award in the “Forum, Summit, Congress, Fair Award” category for their communication concept for K 2022. A total of 132 projects from event, experimental and live marketing agencies as well as companies and trade fair and congress organizers were submitted for this year’s event competition.

http://www.covestro.com

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Turnkey Systems For Lsr Optics Of Led Headlights 

Working hand in hand with DOW, ELMET has fine-tuned the manufacturing technology for the main optics of LED headlights with ADB (Adaptive Driving Beam) functionality to suit it for use with a grade of LSR specifically developed for optical applications. Consistently high part quality is ensured by a combination of ELMET’s high-precision SMARTmix TOP 7000P dosing system with the mold’s SMART shot E cold runner system, in which the needle is positioned servo-electrically when the nozzles open and close.

Turnkey Systems

ELMET helps to bring such projects to successful fruition by developing turnkey systems, drawing on its wide-ranging LSR expertise to ensure efficient material selection, its own mold-making facilities using proprietary cold runner and dosing systems and its many years of experience in optimizing and automating injection molding processes. Development times are kept short by simulation of the flow processes for mold cavity filling.

The SMARTmix TOP 7000P dosing system is the first commercially available dosing pump designed to be FDA-compliant, which ideally suits it to high-purity optical LSR grades. The volumetric meter’s high measuring accuracy of 0.0156 ml per count pulse ensures high mixing quality and thus process consistency. Virtually abrasion-free delivery also rules out any contamination of the LSR by abraded metal from the pump which would impair functionality.

ELMET’s SMARTshot E valve gate cold runner system has a compact servomotor for moving and positioning the nozzle needle for precise control of sprueless cavity filling. As a result, needle opening can be set in the µm range and the injection process can be much better balanced than is possible with stepper motor drives. And thanks to ELMET’s ability to ensure mold gaps of less than 10 µm, no flash is formed on the optical components despite the material’s very low viscosity.

Successful Collaboration Demonstrates Innovation Potential

The result of the current collaboration with DOW is a turnkey system for manufacturing ADB multiple light guide lenses from the optical LSR grade SILASTIC™ MS-5002. ELMET’s contribution included designing the sophisticated mold for injection molding the geometrically highly complex parts. The part’s volume is around 35 cm³, corresponding to a weight of approx. 37.5 g, based on the LSR’s specific density of 1.07 g/cm³. Together with the widely varying, sometimes large cross-sections, this results in challenging cycle times for LSR mass production.

ELMET has perfectly tailored the mold’s cold runners to the selected LSR grade’s viscosity and thus flow behavior, so ensuring maximum process stability and

providing uniform cooling. The mold inserts, made from a special steel alloy, were heat-treated and polished, which means that the mold surface is perfectly transferred onto the surface of the LSR part, so making it possible to meet stringent optical industry requirements for both the light guides and the outcoupling sections of the lens.

The result is an impressive demonstration of the great innovation potential arising from a combination of DOW’s optical LSR with ELMET’s processing know-how and its SMARTshot cold runner and SMARTmix dosing technology. As Development Manager Thorsten Häuser explains, “Manufacturing ADB optics is highly complex and requires everyone involved in a project to share all their experience. Working with DOW has let us considerably expand our understanding of the close interaction between optical LSR formulations, mold-making and the processing of these LSR grades by injection molding. We are convinced that our combined technical expertise in silicone chemistry, LSR processing and optics will, into the medium term, remain key to unlocking high added value along the automotive LED headlight value chain with silicone light guide lenses.” 

https://www.konsens.de/elmet

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Don’t Forget the Small Print – When Exploring Wire & Tube 2024 in Düsseldorf

Why printing on cables, wires and tubes requires a specialist:
Tuttlingen Between 15 and 19 April, Düsseldorf is going to be full of wire & tube specialists. People who know the challenges facing the wire & tube industries, who understand the emerging technology and customer preferences, and have identified what it takes to succeed in this competitive world.

But you will only find one specialist wire and tube printer: LEIBINGER.
Printing on wires and tubes is a small but essential part of production – and it takes specialist skills. Here’s why.

Printers need to work fast. Very fast.:
We don’t need to tell you that wire and tube manufacturing processes work at high speed. But you may not know that many printers can’t keep up with those speeds. As a specialist, LEIBINGER offers printers like the JET Rapid Wire that can print up to a kilometer of wire every minute.

Wires & tubes are difficult to print on.:
The print area is small. And convex. And sometimes at a high temperature straight out the extrusion unit. What’s more, dark surfaces require a special kind of opaque pigmented ink to make text readable and compliant. But these are the constraints that LEIBINGER is used to and our printers deal with every day.

Wire and tube manufacturers need reliability:
Every meter of wire or tube needs to be perfect – and perfectly printed. LEIBINGER is renowned for its reliability and build quality, which ensures every wire or tube you produce is compliant with all marking regulations.

You need to avoid downtime:
Many printers get clogged when ink dries – which means your production line has to stop for cleaning. LEIBINGER’s unique printhead technology prevents air from getting to the ink when not in use. No clogging, no expensive downtime. One customer told us they used to spend 2-3 hours a day cleaning printers. Now they use LEIBINGER – and spend all day making cables.You need to increase sustainability and decrease costs:
Wire & tube manufacturers are under pressure to be both leaner and greener. Which is why LEIBINGER printers use less solvent and less power. To make you more sustainable and keep your costs down. LEIBINGER build quality also means zero maintenance costs for five years – with the latest printer IQJET.

Meet us in Hall 9 at Booth F55:
Why not come and talk print with LEIBINGER in Düsseldorf? We know all about the wire and tube industry – but if we don’t know you yet, we would very much like to meet.
www.leibinger-group.com

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Photochemical Etching Drives Innovation in the Semiconductor Industry

Micrometal & next generation photo-chemical etching (PCE) process plays a pivotal role in driving innovation within the semiconductor industry, particularly through the production of advanced lead frames. Lead frames are crucial components in semiconductor devices, serving as the backbone for mounting and interconnecting the silicon chip to other electronic components or printed circuit boards (PCBs). These frames not only provide mechanical support but also facilitate electrical connectivity, acting as a bridge between the intricate circuitry of the semiconductor chip and the external environment.

Jochen Kern, Head of Sales and Marketing at micrometal says, “The semiconductor industry constantly seeks ways to enhance device performance, reduce size, and increase functionality, and this is where micrometal & expertise in PCE comes into play. Our precision manufacturing process enables the creation of highly intricate and complex lead frame designs that traditional methods cannot achieve. By utilising advanced PCE, micrometal can produce lead frames with finer pitches, smaller features, and unique geometries, which are essential for the next generation semiconductor devices.” PCE offers several advantages over conventional machining techniques, including the ability to produce components without inducing stress or altering material properties. This aspect
is particularly important for semiconductor applications where the integrity of the material can significantly impact device performance. In addition, the process allows for high precision and consistency across large production volumes, essential for meeting the stringent quality standards of the semiconductor industry.

Kern continues, “Innovation as stimulated by micrometal & next generation PCE process in lead frame manufacturing can manifest in various ways. For instance, it enables the development of more compact and efficient power devices, advanced sensors, and high- frequency communication modules by allowing for the miniaturisation of components and the integration of complex features. These advancements can lead to improved device reliability, enhanced performance, and greater energy efficiency, addressing the critical needs of emerging technologies such as 5G, the Internet of Things (IoT), and artificial intelligence (AI). Moreover, the flexibility of the PCE process supports rapid prototyping and customization, enabling semiconductor manufacturers to experiment with new designs and concepts more freely. This agility is crucial for accelerating the development cycle of new products and technologies, fostering innovation and maintaining competitiveness in a fast- evolving industry.”

Micrometal advanced PCE process represents a critical technological advancement for the semiconductor industry, offering a combination of precision, flexibility, and efficiency that
drives innovation. By enabling the production of lead frames and other components that meet the industry& evolving demands, this process supports the continuous miniaturization and performance enhancement of semiconductor devices. These advancements are not just technical achievements, but are instead the building blocks of the future, enabling new technologies and applications that will transform the world.
www.micrometal.de

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Jacking Loadout and Floatover Operations for 19,600-tonne Offshore Platform Successfully Completed

Mammoet, the global leader in engineered heavy lifting and transport, is pleased to announce the successful completion of a remarkable project that showcases its commitment to efficient solutions and safety. Through creative engineering and the use of its state-of-the-art equipment, Mammoet has achieved a significant milestone – the safe and efficient load-out and offshore installation of a massive offshore platform. This achievement is part of the Azeri Central East (ACE) project, the next  phase of the development of the bp-operated Azeri-Chirag-Deepwater Gunashli (ACG) field  in the Caspian Sea.
Mammoet’s scope included the weighing, jack-up, load-out and floatover installation operations of the 19,600-tonne production, drilling, and quarters (PDQ) platform. Leveraging its comprehensive engineering capabilities, Mammoet ensured the precise transfer of the platform’s topsides unit from the quayside onto the transportation barge STB-1 and subsequently onto the jacket foundation offshore. Prior to its departure, the topsides unit underwent meticulous commissioning and operational testing onshore, significantly reducing offshore installation and start-up activities.

Engineered solutions
At the quayside, the topsides unit was expertly jacked up to a height of 17 meters and then gently lowered onto a custom loadout support frame, utilising Mammoet’s largest jacking system – Mega Jack 5200. The unit was then smoothly skidded onto the barge, where it was sea-fastened and prepared for its voyage to the ACG field. The skidding operation onto the barge’s deck was accomplished using four 900-tonne strandjacks, break-out jacks, high capacity ballast system, load monitoring quay jacks comprising of six 600-tonne jacks, and mooring winches.
Upon its arrival at the designated field location, Mammoet executed the installation of the topside unit onto the jacket foundation through a floatover operation. The barge was precisely positioned over the substructure and the topsides unit was then lowered onto the substructure, while maintaining the barge’s position. The barge’s internal ballasting and winching system was enhanced with Mammoet’s float-over winches and configurable high-flow rapid ballast system. This enhancement added an additional flow capability of approximately 32,000m3/hr. This centrally controlled and monitored ballast system ensured real-time oversight, guaranteeing operational continuity and a safe floatover process.

The project’s success is not only marked by its technical achievements but also by its outstanding safety record. Throughout the construction of the 19,600-tonne topsides unit, more than 21 million hours were worked injury-free. This unit, comprising vital oil and gas processing facilities, an integrated drilling rig, a gas compressor, and living quarters, was expertly constructed by Azfen in the Bayil fabrication yard, utilizing local infrastructure and resources.

Mammoet played a key role in the integration of the platform’s DES and MDSM modules, totaling 2,400 and 2,350 tonnes respectively, showcasing the company’s multi-faceted capabilities. The combination of Mammoet’s advanced jacking and skidding systems, along with SPMTs, ensured a seamless and secure operation. Looking ahead, drilling is expected to commence in the coming months with the delivery of ACE’s first oil projected to begin in early 2024.
Dan Kempin, Business Development Manager for Mammoet, commented: “As we continue to redefine industry standards through our innovative solutions and steadfast commitment to safety, the successful loadout and float over operations of this massive topsides unit stands as a testament to Mammoet’s dedication to excellence in engineered heavy lifting and transport.”

www.mammoet.com

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Aquapak Appoints Leading Nonwoven Expert To Its Advisory Board To Support Global Market Drive

Aquapak Polymers Ltd, which specialises in polymer-based material technologies which deliver both performance and environmental responsibility at scale, has today announced the appointment of leading U.S. nonwoven industry expert, Dr Kyra Dorsey, to its Advisory Board, which comprises business leaders and experts in material science and the environment.  Her appointment is an extension of Aquapak’s market development strategy with a specific focus on tapping into the growing global demand from end use industries such as hygiene and healthcare, thanks to the versatility and cost-effectiveness of nonwoven material.

Kyra will support Aquapak in bringing its innovative Hydropol technology to full-scale commercialisation in the nonwoven sector using her extensive development experience in spunmelt, composite, carded, wetlaid, and chemical applications. Hydropol is a highly functional, specialty environmental polymer that allows product design to support the circular economy – by enabling recycling and delivering multiple end-of-life options. It is designed to be an alternative to traditional plastics, offering their versatility and functionality but without harming the environment.

Kyra has over two decades of experience developing products for a variety of markets and application end uses such as wipes, hygiene, medical, industrial and specialty, and food and beverage. She has a doctorate in Chemical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.  Her nonwoven journey began at GA Tech with a thesis on fiber formation in meltblowing.  She has recently founded Glory Group LLC, a nonwoven consulting firm to serve the nonwoven industry, having spent 11 years at Suominen Nonwovens in both commercial and technical leadership roles and, prior to that she was at Ahlstrom for six years.

Commenting on Kyra’s appointment, Mark Lapping, Chief Executive Officer, Aquapak, said:

“The market opportunity for Hydropol technology is huge and Kyra brings nonwoven experience which is second to none.  Her technical knowledge and understanding of the nonwoven sector will help us identify opportunities for Hydropol as manufacturers look for new, sustainable ways to produce products such as flushable wipes for personal care and household use, which offer all the functionality without the environmental impact. ”

Commenting on the role, Dr. Kyra Dorsey, said:

“Hydropol is a very exciting proposition which has the potential to transform the use of conventional plastics in the nonwovens market.  It is of great value to the innovative brands who are ready to do things differently and for consumers who are keen to recycle more.”

Aquapak has successfully developed and commercialised Hydropol, which is soluble, non-toxic and marine safe. Products made with Hydropol are safe for existing recycling processes and are fully biodegradable, leaving no trace or plastic pollution should they enter the environment.  As an enabling technology, Hydropol can be used on its own or in combination with other materials to enhance recyclability, compostability and end-of-life options. Its material properties allow for scalability into diverse types of products and its solubility makes it easy to separate from other materials when recycling.

www.aquapakpolymers.com

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Germany’s Largest Powder Bed 3d Printing Service Provider Invests In Automatic Density Determination Technology From Dimensionics Density

Leading automatic density determination technology innovator, Dimensionics Density, is delighted to announce that Germany’s largest full-service powder bed fusion (PBF) 3D printing bureau has just invested in the company’s technology, and will be using it to move towards the goal of a fully automated AM process chain for its customers.

Automation of the process chain in AM is crucial due to its potential to enhance efficiency, consistency, and scalability. By automating tasks such as part design optimization, slicing, material handling, printing, post-processing, and — through the use of automated density determination technologies — validation, manufacturers and sub-contract manufacturers like FKM can reduce human error, increase production speed, ensure higher precision, and maintain quality control. The streamlining of the entire workflow not only accelerates production but also facilitates the creation of complex geometries, reduces waste, and lowers costs, making AM more viable for various industries while maintaining product integrity and reproducibility.

Philipp Pruesse, Head of Sales at Dimensionics Density, says, “FKM’s investment in our density determination technology shows that leading players in the AM sector recognise the disruptive nature of our solution when it comes to quality control in real AM production environments. For AM to continue to disrupt the manufacturing paradigm, the entire AM process chain needs to move towards automation. Because of this, our density determination solutions are fully automated, and of vital importance, are designed to be used in busy production settings, not just in the laboratory. As we all know, AM stimulates design freedom as it is agnostic to part complexity. As geometric complexity increases, density determination of AM parts becomes more difficult using commonly used density determination technologies. Dimensionics Density’s solutions can easily determine the density of freeform parts and highly complex AM parts in production settings and can measure density repeatably to 0.001 g/cm³.”

Driven by innovation and close co-engineering with its customers, FKM has extensive AM experience to offer. The company covers the full AM process chain from design, powder characterization, parameter optimization, to an array of post-process activities like part colouring. Quality assurance is also of paramount importance, especially for customers for which parts produced are used in safety critical applications.

Stefan Behlert, Head of Quality at FKM says, “As more and more of our customers look to AM as a production technology, it is increasingly important for us to optimise an array of strict quality control processes, giving confidence in outcomes, and therefore cementing customer relationships. Considering the large number of build jobs and parts that we are producing every day, the need arises for a speedy and precise non-destructive density determination testing technology for AM. After studying the report on measurement methods for density determination in AM which was conducted by the Fraunhofer IAPT in Hamburg, we decided to assess Dimensionics Density’s technology. In order to verify the technology, Dimensionics Density offered free testing of samples and the calculation of an ROI according to the number of samples FKM aims to measure each year. Both delivered convincing results which led to an order of one machine for the quality laboratory at FKM.”

For FKM, the density determination machine has been customized, and will be able to measure not only the density of cubes but also tensile rods and even finished build jobs when not too large. This will allow FKM to streamline its quality assurance process and use employee time more efficiently on behalf of customers.

Pruesse concludes, “Automatic density determination of AM parts offers significant benefits to the utilization of 3D printing as a production technology as FKM has recognised. Our ground-breaking technology enables companies to validate significant volumes of production parts manufactured through AM by providing rapid and non-destructive quality assessment. By automating the measurement of part density, companies like FKM can ensure consistent material properties, identify defects or inconsistencies early in the production process, and maintain stringent quality standards. This capability not only reduces the need for manual inspection and testing but also enhances the reliability and confidence in using AM for volume production, ultimately accelerating time-to-market and optimizing overall manufacturing efficiency which as a company is our ultimate goal.”

www.dimensionics-density.com/additive

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