Descripción del proyecto
Impresión tridimensional de envases respetuosos con el medio ambiente
El plástico es una fuente de residuos industriales que no para de crecer. Los envases, la principal fuente de generación de desechos industriales en todo el mundo, han dado lugar a normativas y políticas de tributación dirigidas al empleo de plásticos de un solo uso. Los materiales de celulosa (basados en fibra) son una alternativa viable a los plásticos en algunos productos de envasado rígido, pero sus elevados costes de producción impiden su empleo a escala industrial. Loop Factory desarrolló Yangi, la primera máquina de fabricación que ofrece un método de producción de envases a escala, tridimensional, de bajo coste y basado en fibras. Se basa en el proceso eficiente y de bajo consumo energético de cadena de producción en un paso. El proyecto financiado con fondos europeos YANGI llevará a cabo demostraciones piloto innovadoras en las instalaciones de los clientes aplicadas a cuatro aplicaciones de envasado.
Objetivo
Plastic is widely known as one of the most significant and rapidly growing sources of industrial waste, with the EU alone estimated to generate 25.8 Mt of plastic waste every year (58 kg/person). Packaging is the main use of plastic, accounting for 60 % of the total plastic waste in the EU. Worldwide, governments are prohibiting and taxing the use of single-use plastics, setting high pressure on the packaging industry to shift to sustainable materials.
Cellulose (fibre-based) materials are a promising alternative that can replace plastics in most of rigid packaging products in a 1:1 ratio without compromising quality. However, the high costs of their current production processes have prevented packaging producers and brands from substituting plastics with fibre-based materials at a commercial scale.
The Loop Factory has developed Yangi, the world’s first manufacturing machine to unlock a true substitute to plastic in rigid packaging: low-cost, 3D fibre-based packaging production at scale. At the heart of its innovation there is an efficient process consisting of one-step production line that consumes considerably less resources and time than existing two-step production methods. In comparison, Yangi uses 85% less water which minimises the energy needs with 75%. This allows for a faster, cheaper and scalable production claiming 80% less factory space and half of machinery costs. Yangi makes it possible for cellulose to finally compete with plastics in low-cost, high volume segments.
The EIC accelerator project will setup a demonstration plant to run customer pilots in 4 packaging applications and show their results to additional stakeholders. We will establish a scalable manufacturing and distribution partnership with a global machine supplier and secure IP for market release and scale up. With 77 machines in operation by 2030, our technology is expected to save more than 190 000 tons of plastic waste, 11 Bn litres of fresh water and 260 000 tons of CO2.
Ámbito científico
Programa(s)
Convocatoria de propuestas
Consulte otros proyectos de esta convocatoriaConvocatoria de subcontratación
H2020-EIC-SMEInst-2018-2020-3
Régimen de financiación
SME-2 - SME instrument phase 2Coordinador
432 40 Varberg
Suecia
Organización definida por ella misma como pequeña y mediana empresa (pyme) en el momento de la firma del acuerdo de subvención.