Smart Molding International 1-2021

30 smart_molding international 1/2021 C ovestro creates materials the world relies on every day. These high-tech polymers are used in nearly every area of modern life and in a wide range of industries: Automotive, construction, healthcare, cosmetics, energy, electronics, sports and leisure. But the company doesn't just produce materials. Together with the partners and customers, Covestro is taking big steps to tackle a fundamental challenge: Shifting towards a Circular Economy. To achieve this bold goal, Covestro is inno - vating efficient ways to close energy and material cycles, pushing the boundaries of what is possible with polymers. Covestro at the virtual Formnext Connect Covestro's presence at the virtual trade fair Formnext Connect 2020 was entirely dedicated to the Circular Economy. The company was present - ing products made from alternative rawmaterials, such as recycled plastics and CO₂-based cardyon® brand prod - ucts which will contribute to the devel - opment of the 3D printing industry to become more circular. This adds yet another sustainability aspect to the well-known ecological benefits of additive manufacturing – decentralized production, demand- drivenmanufacturing and lower waste. Covestro also provided an outlook to a versatile range of Addigy® materials for common 3D printing processes at Formnext Connect. The developments were presented in an interactive expert session in the virtual Covestro studio on November 10. "Nowadays, superior manufacturing technologies are no longer enough to produce truly sustainable products," said Patrick Rosso, Global Head of Ad - ditive Manufacturing at Covestro. "We want to boost the circularity of our products while preserving their excel - lent properties. That's why we are cur - rently developing new, more sustain - able products which are already in the testing phase." Sustainable portfolio expansion These include, for example, pellets and filamentsmade of partially recycled plastics. Some of the raw materials for the recycled plastics are post-industrial waste from Covestro's manufacturing facilities and can be used as filaments for 3D printing after reworking. One of the products developed from recycled plastic is a polycarbonate blend and, like other polycarbonate-based materi - als, is suitable for applications that re - quire a high temperature resistance. Equally promising as building blocks for sustainable 3D printing products are polyols of the cardyon® brand, in which CO₂ replaces some of the petrochemi - cal rawmaterials previously used. These can for example be used to produce thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU), which can be used as powders or fila - ments in additive manufacturing. In addition, Covestro is currently de - veloping partially bio-based products for 3D printing, in which almost 50 percent of the carbon content is de - rived from biomass. One such material Covestro aims to accelerate the change towards circularity, especially in the chemical and plastics industry, and contribute to the goal of a greenhouse gas-neutral economy. 3D printing on the path to Circular Economy This shoe insole was printed by selective laser sintering from a partially bio-based thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) by Covestro Shoes can be made from only two parts using 3D printing – the sole and the uppers. The shoe can be completely recycled at the end of its useful life (All pictures: Covestro). 3D printing