Covestro and TTP announce partnership in polyurethane adhesives

Covestro and British technology development consultancy The Technology Partnership (TTP) have announced a development milestone in digital coating and adhesive technology that they say has the potential to enable the successful digital printing of polyurethane adhesives.

As manufacturers strive to update their businesses for Industry 4.0 and meet customer demands for mass customisation of products, they face the complex task of converting large scale, often manual, production processes into automated digital systems.

Covestro says its partnership with TTP, a company with expertise in new and revolutionary technology for the rapid digital application of coatings and adhesives, along with its own polyurethane raw materials, has demonstrated a “new opportunity” for digital printing in next-generation manufacturing.

“We recently successfully tested adhesives formulated with Covestro raw materials,” said Dr. Andrew Baker-Campbell, Project Leader at TTP, “demonstrating a capability to print materials far more challenging than typical jettable inks.”  

To exploit the development, Covestro has established its own laboratory for digital printing. “This variant of inkjet printing could become an entirely new production method within the context of Industry 4.0,” said Dr. Jörg Tillack, who heads 2D printing development at Covestro’s Coatings, Adhesives, Specialties Business Unit. “The positive test result takes us an important step forward.”

To encourage wide adoption of the technology, Covestro and TTP are now seeking partners throughout the value chain. Covestro and TTP would like to hear from interested end-users with a desire to develop concepts for next-generation products and processes. Furthermore, they are looking for manufacturers of print heads, printers and automation systems who wish to invest in delivering this technology to market.

To register interest, contact: 

Covestro:

Adam Salmen

Marketing Manager for Digital Printing

Coatings, Adhesives, Specialties Business Unit

Tel.: +49 214 6009 5727

Email: adam.salmen@covestro.com

TTP:

James McCrone

Group Leader for Applied Sciences

Tel.: +44 1763 262626

Email: digitalcoatings@ttp.com