Ultrasonic assisted injection moulding of bioplastics (SENTIO)

The plastics industry is changing. Although bioplastics controlled less than a 2% share of the plastics industry in 2019, they are expected to grow at a 30% CAGR, accounting for 40% by 2030, making bioplastics a $324 billion-dollar enterprise in just over a decade\[1\]. The main challenge currently faced within the manufacturing of bioplastic parts is the obtention of biodegradable components that have properties similar to conventional counterparts. The priorities within injection moulding (IM) processes pertain to managing heat resistance and thermal degradation caused by temperature, residence time or shear. Bioplastics also need longer cooling times. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to moisture barriers, rigidity/flexibility and durability. Other material limitations pertain to use within the conventional IM equipment with multi-cavity moulds.

SENTIO will introduce, for the first time, a Power-Ultrasonic subsystem that will assist the IM process of bioplastics*and enhance integrity and quality, ensuring first-time-right parts. The power-ultrasonic subsystem will be a retrofittable bespoke solution for existing IM equipment, comprising the power ultrasonic (PUT) transducers** that will apply ultrasonic energy and the software (computational models) that will control the process parameters like the ultrasonic frequencies in the ultrasonic power generator system.

Our primary exploitation strategy will focus on retro-fitting SENTIO on existing IM machines across a wide range of applications to either (i) large manufacturing organisations with in-house IM capabilities such as McLaren or (ii) IM Service Bureaus selling subcontracting services to end-users such as IMPACT. Potential customers also comprise laboratories and research centres keen on testing and adopting new breakthrough technologies. Once SENTIO proves its benefits/value, we will sell SENTIO to IM OEMs (secondary RtM) to incorporate the solution in _"new enhanced injection moulder models" . SENTIO will enable energy savings of up to 26% due to 23%reduced cycle times while improving the bioplastics' quality.