Ultrasonic assisted injection moulding of bioplastics (SENTIO)

塑料行业正在发生变化。尽管生物塑料在2019年控制着塑料行业不到2%的份额，但预计它们将以30%的复合年增长率增长，到2030年占40%，使生物塑料在短短十年内成为价值3240亿美元的企业。目前在生物塑料部件制造中面临的主要挑战是获得与传统部件具有相似性能的可生物降解部件。注射成型(IM)过程中的优先事项与管理温度、停留时间或剪切引起的耐热性和热降解有关。生物塑料也需要更长的冷却时间。因此，注意防潮、刚性/柔韧性和耐久性是很重要的。SENTIO将首次引入功率-超声波子系统，该子系统将帮助生物塑料的成型工艺*，并提高完整性和质量，确保第一时间正确的零件。功率超声子系统将是现有IM设备的可改装定制解决方案，包括应用超声波能量的功率超声(PUT)换能器**和控制过程参数(如超声波功率发生器系统中的超声波频率)的软件(计算模型)。我们的主要开发战略将专注于在现有IM机器上改造Sentio，应用范围广泛：(I)具有内部IM能力的大型制造组织，如迈凯轮；或(Ii)IM服务局，向最终用户销售分包服务，如Impact。潜在客户还包括热衷于测试和采用新的突破性技术的实验室和研究中心。一旦Sentio证明了它的好处/价值，我们将把Sentio出售给IM OEM(二级RTM)，以便将解决方案整合到_“新的增强型注塑机型号”中。Sentio将节省高达26%的能源，因为周期时间减少了23%，同时提高了生物塑料的质量。

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.