Foaming technology pioneer Trexel has teamed up with UK-based Bokatech to further develop technologies that complement Bockatech EcoCore.
Products made with EcoCore use a combination of innovations – in materials, processes, mould design as well as component design – and are lightweight, insulated, strong and durable. Injection moulded PP EcoCore mouldings feature skin-foam-skin walls formed almost instantly.
EcoCore significantly reduces the cycle time required, to a level similar to that of traditional unfoamed thin wall injection-moulded plastics components. This reduction, in combination with a cut in material brought about by the use foam, makes the process beneficial in terms of both cost and performance for many packaging applications. These applications include reusables, those that benefit from a thermal barrier and containers that require extra strength. Typical applications include to-go coffee and cold drink cups, noodle pots and industrial pails.
Together, Trexel and Bockatech are working to create more sustainable recyclable and reusable packaging for to-go food service, food retail and other FMCG as well as industrial applications.
Trexel uses MuCell technology, which has been in commercial production for 20 years and enables lighter and more dimensionally stable injection-moulded parts. The company has recently been focusing on packaging, developing the P-Series, a MuCell system designed specifically for fast-cycle packaging applications.
The benefits include thinner wall moulding from reduced material viscosity and substantially reduced injection pressure and clamp tonnage, design freedoms with the elimination of flow restrictions during cavity filling, and the ability to pack end-of-fill features through foaming. It also creates opaque packaging that has the ability to be recycled in the clear recycling stream.
EcoCore was originally developed using chemical foaming agents, Bockatech is now working with MuCell as it is continuing to push the boundaries of what foam light weighting can achieve as well as applying it to other packaging forms.
“The collaboration between Bockatech and Trexel was started to enable us to get a better understanding of the actual benefits of using gas foaming agents, in place of chemical foaming agents (CFAs), for packaging,” said Chris Bocking, founder and chief strategy officer at Bockatech. “EcoCore mouldings, made with MuCell, feature different cell structures to those made with CFAs. This results in containers that take advantage of specific expansions designed for MuCell N2 and we’re looking forward to sharing more about the excellent results from the collaboration later this year.”
