A new bathroom scale from Tanita is powered with solar cells
and is made from a new biobased plastic.
Tanita introduced solar-powered scales in 1986, but the
plastic is all new. "The addition of ABS plastic using biodegradable resins as
the primary construction material is an added bonus for our green consumers,
further protecting our environment and landfills," says Heather Bundgaard,
director of marketing, Tanita Corp. of America.
The new material, which was developed in Japan by
Unitika, is said to have improved properties in areas such as moldability,
transparency and flame retardancy. Called Terramac,
the plastic has thermal properties, durability and impact resistivity
comparable to ABS resins, a crossover plastic between commodities and
engineering-grade.
The first product made with the resin is the housing for the
bathroom scale HS-302,
nicknamed ECO Living, The pitch is that the Terramac resin decreased carbon
dioxide emissions 20 percent compared with the previous housing made only with
a petroleum-based plastic.
Unitika developed the first commercially available
heat-resistant PLA sheet in 2002. Flame retardance and impact resistance were
improved by applying Unitika's nanotechnology, plant-based reinforcements, and inorganic
fillers. Various polymer alloys further improve properties of the new material.
Unitika says it will expand this new alloy to toys and
electronic products. Also coming are films, sheets, fibers, and non-wovens. The
company's sales target for the new material is Β₯80 million ($875,000) by 2011.
One candidate as an alloying material is a new thermally
conductive nylon developed by Unitika Up until recently, compounds with
thermally conductive fillers were used to dissipate heat in miniature
electronic devices, but their processability is generally poor. "We often find difficulty in applying them
for small-size molding," says a Unitika spokesperson. "We have studied polymer
structure, the filler(s), and compounding conditions to clear the hurdle."
Unitika says the new nylon shows the same processability as
60 percent glass-reinforced nylon resin, while also exhibiting 50 W/mK thermal
conductivity.
The Unitika Group started in 1889, with the founding of
Amagasaki Spinners, the first company in Japan's textile industry. One of
its early plastic products was Emblem, a biaxially oriented nylon 6 film.
By refining topologies and using new fluid technology, Moog's new peak sine drive controller increases available power without increasing controller volume.
Lantronix Inc. has expanded its line of controllers for sensor networks with the release of a rugged controller that improves management of automation systems used in a number of industries, including manufacturing, oil and gas, and chemicals.
Inspired by the hooks a parasitic worm uses to penetrate its host's intestines, the Karp Lab has invented a flexible adhesive patch covered with microneedles that adheres well to wet, soft tissues, but doesn't cause damage when removed.
From Dell / Intel® New Paradigms in Design Work Scott Hamilton, vertical market strategist for Dell Precision workstations, 5/2/2013 3
Early in my career, I worked as a draftsman and remember the days of drawing on vellum with numbered pencils and Mylar with plastic lead. This was a fun experience in the sense that I ...
I've been using workstations for more than 10 years and love finding ways to get more performance from my system. With demanding professional applications that require more power each ...
A lasting memory from my first job as an engineer in an auto assembly plant is standing on hard concrete at six in the morning, vending-machine coffee clutched in hand, listening to ...
A quick look into the merger of two powerhouse 3D printing OEMs and the new leader in rapid prototyping solutions, Stratasys. The industrial revolution is now led by 3D printing and engineers are given the opportunity to fully maximize their design capabilities, reduce their time-to-market and functionally test prototypes cheaper, faster and easier. Bruce Bradshaw, Director of Marketing in North America, will explore the large product offering and variety of materials that will help CAD designers articulate their product design with actual, physical prototypes. This broadcast will dive deep into technical information including application specific stories from real world customers and their experiences with 3D printing. 3D Printing is
To save this item to your list of favorite Design News content so you can find it later in your Profile page, click the "Save It" button next to the item.
If you found this interesting or useful, please use the links to the services below to share it with other readers. You will need a free account with each service to share an item via that service.
Tweet This
6 
