A clear packaging resin usually used to contain food products or as a seal layer in flexible packaging has been adapted to coat and seal appliances and other machinery in production lines.
DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers co-developed the new film and process technology in collaboration with the German machinery manufacturer Zappe Verpackungsmaschinen and the film producer jura-plast to protect susceptible three-dimensional surfaces of machine components.
Combining an adhesive with a clear packaging resin usually used for food produces a film that protects appliances and other machines during manufacturing and transport.
(Source: DuPont)
DuPont combined a highly transparent base film derived from its Surlyn sealable packaging polymer with a specially tailored adhesive resin, which is also based on one of its products. After being applied with modified skin packaging equipment, the film protects machine components from the production and assembly lines to after they arrive on a consumer's doorstep.
Miele, a German appliance manufacturer, has begun using the technology at its washing machine manufacturing plant to keep the high-gloss, thermoplastic bezels on washing machines scratch-free when traveling through a fully automated assembly line, to a retail store, and then to the customer's home.
"The special formulation of the base layer made from Surlyn ensures that there is no formation of air bubbles between the component surface and the film, which would otherwise spoil the high-quality appearance of the bezel," Jürgen Müller, managing director of jura-plast, said in a press release. The combination of Surlyn and the modified adhesive resin provides enough adhesion for a fully assembled washing machine door to be transported with vacuum grippers, he said. Consumers can peel off the film easily without leaving residue on the appliance. The Surlyn-based film also weighs about one-third less than an alternative polyethylene film.
This is a very interesting example of a new process bring better "functionality" to a process while being more efficient. It requires less heating time (less energy) and the material can easily be recycled. A great example of design engnieering improvements that help everyone.
Indeed, Naperlou. It's interesting to see how materials advances, and new applications for same, are enhancing not just products but packaging and thus supporting quality assurance and enabling better yields (less damage). The key difference recently is the affordable cost and flexibility of materials so that we're not talking replacement but actually the ability to use them in applications where previously there weren't any options.
Surlyn ionomer is good stuff. Besides the use of Surlyn in packaging films, a blend of Surlyn ionomer and nylon-6, called Surlyn Reflections, is available as a mold-in-color injection molding compound. (Although originally developed by DuPont, Surlyn Reflections is sold by LTL Color Compounders). It has the highest gloss of any mold-in-color plastic I've seen. It looks for all the world like a high-quality paint job. We are looking at using a mineral filled grade for improved rigidity and temperature resistance.
Thanks, naperlou. I like reporting on improvements that result from better design engineering, or that benefit engineers, but also what might be thought of as a form of technology transfers: using one or more technologies that have previously been applied to some apps and figuring out how they can benefit other apps or uses.
Dave, thanks for the Surlyn feedback. It looks like a pretty amazing material, and I noticed the high gloss right away. Interesting that a version of it has been applied to injection molding. I'll check that out.
Any idea if the packaging-for-shipment intent could evolve into a permanent outer protective jacket-? I usually leave the protective films on new appliances and cellphones for as long as they still cling --- the one on our oven's back-splash membrane switch panel is still there today.Question is, would the Surlyn hold up as a permanent coating on outdoor items such as patio furniture to keep thinks looking newer longer-?(Thinking about UV degradation).
Thanks, Rob. This one looks like a no-brainer choice. The entire process is speeded up, and costs all appear to be the same or lower for that reason, as well as for the decline in waste of both raw material in reject products sent back, as well as less waste in the skin film application process. The skin film process materials can be recycled in an existing waste stream, so no special handling is required there. No information was given about cost differentials between materials alone, but this is a materials-plus-process system, so that might be difficult and/or less relevant to measure.
Jim, that's a good question. But this was not designed for UV protection, and it was designed to peel off easily without damaging the surface it has adhered to. So I doubt it would be a good candidate for those applications.
I've left a clear coat on the backsplash of my dryer, and then wasn't sure if I should have, since it began to peel off unevenly. Wish I'd had this stuff instead, as well as clear instructions!
Sounds like there are plenty of efficiency gains here. Even if the new materials and process come with additional costs, those costs may be offset by the efficiency gains.
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