Customized TPE
The SOFT EST.® portfolio offers many possible uses for consumer goods applications. The materials give the end products a high-quality look and feel and are suitable for applications in consumer goods due to their wide range of functions.
Plastics have become an integral part of our everyday objects. Whether in toothbrushes, chopping boards, coffee-to-go cups, lunch boxes or even children's or dog toys, plastic is used today. At the same time, new product ideas are being created and the consumer goods market is constantly evolving. Even if not all applications can be found here yet, this does not mean that a product solution made of TPE is not possible.
Do you have any questions? Contact us and we will be happy to advise you on your individual requirements.
ACTEGA has many years of experience when it comes to the functional possibilities of TPE and specializes in the customized development of these materials. A development team of experienced plastics engineers works on customer-oriented material solutions on a daily basis - from the customer's initial requirements profile through to the market-ready product.
We are surrounded by products that are made entirely or partly from plastic materials, whether we are cleaning our teeth or shaving in the morning, on the way to work, at work or perhaps later during sport: The toothbrush and razor, the classy cream or make-up jar, the to-go reusable cup, numerous office materials, the ergonomic bicycle handle, the mat, even the pet's favorite toy.
From the customer-specific requirement to the marketable product
For consumer goods applications, ACTEGA offers the SOFT EST.® TPE portfolio with a wide range of functions for a variety of applications. The ProvaMed® TPE portfolio provides suitable material solutions for applications in the medical and pharmaceutical sectors. ACTEGA thus specializes in customer-specific developments with a wide range of functional options. In order to meet these requirements, ACTEGA has invested heavily in its in-house technical center and application laboratory, which includes the tie-bar-less Engel Victory 120 tech for injection molding.
In addition, ACTEGA invests around nine percent of its annual turnover in research and development. This results in a large development team with experienced plastics technicians, outstandingly equipped laboratories and extensive R&D capacities for the development of new, future-proof products from the initial requirement profile through to the marketable product. The project work at ACTEGA is described in detail below.
Optimization of processing properties
A look at the laboratory area shows the practical implementation. This department comprises research and development, analytics, quality control and technical service.
The first step is usually for a customer to draw up a comprehensive list of requirements. The team of experts is already on hand to provide advice during this first step. On this basis, any raw materials that come into question are examined very closely and it can be checked whether or which products in the range meet the customer's requirement criteria.
If it turns out that no relevant material can be identified, the next step would be a new material development. Initial material ideas with different raw material components - tailored to the requirement profile - are then designed and these are then produced on a laboratory extruder. Extensive tests are then carried out on the granulates and test rods produced from the material preparations (including ageing, sterilization capability, solvent bonding). Thanks to extensive machinery in the in-house technical center and corresponding application technology, further test rods and test specimens can be produced once satisfactory material compositions are available and the processability of the compounds can be tested. This means that new development products can be tested and parameterized in advance and the development steps can be accelerated and optimized, as it is possible to find out directly on site whether the developed materials have satisfactory processing properties and meet customer requirements.
Precisely tailored to the needs of the application
Material properties can also be tailored precisely to the requirements of the respective application by adding additives during the manufacturing process. Stabilizers, for example, increase the service life of the plastic and protect it from damaging influences. Special antioxidants prevent the polymer chains from decomposing and becoming brittle or the material from discoloring due to reaction with atmospheric oxygen. By adding colorants - dyes, pigments or effect pigments - the otherwise colorless polymers can be dyed.
After further tests in the laboratory and the associated departments, samples can be produced for customers to test on their systems. As soon as everything runs smoothly for everyone involved, commercial production can begin in the quantities required by the customer.
However, the quality control department, which carries out the basic checks during the development process and especially during production (cut, homogeneity, flow behavior, etc.), checks the material first. The analytics department, which tests both raw materials and finished products, delves deeper into the matter. This includes substances that are not allowed to be included either according to the customer's test catalog or by law, or substances that could have a negative impact on taste, to name just two examples. Finally, the technical service is available to customers directly on site to provide advice, assistance and technical expertise in setting up the systems and ensuring that the compounds are processed successfully.
Variety of look, feel and shape
This is how the toothbrushes mentioned at the beginning - polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) in the hard component, ProvaMed® TPE as a soft-touch element for a secure grip - or interdental brushes are produced. These ProvaMed® TPEs are available in the Shore hardness ranges A-20 to A-80, in natural colors and translucent. They are characterized by their particular softness, individual colourability, pleasant feel, cleanliness and food-safe properties. You will find a large number of examples from numerous market segments on the website. However, functions that are not yet addressed there or product ideas that have not yet been realized can also be implemented. Customized solutions that are precisely tailored to the application and target group in terms of technology, function and design are not an impossibility and are a welcome challenge for us.
Our brands for customized TPE
PROVAMED®
Portfolio of standard products for medical technology and for customized TPEs for highly-sensitive areas of application.
SOFT EST®
TPE products specially tailored to the demands of manufacturers of consumer goods applications.