Page 62 - Plastics News February 2020

teChnoLogy

Plastfix develops automated Polymers that helps saving cells

plastics repair system from damage

lastics repair innovator Plastfix has developed an ell therapies hold great promise for revolutionizing
Pautomated headlight repair system using 3D printing Cthe treatment of cancers and autoimmune diseases.
anda custom made 3D printing material, in collaboration But this multibillion-dollar industry requires long-term
with research partners Swinburne University and the storage of cells at super-cold cryogenic conditions,
Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre while ensuring they'll continue to function upon
(IMCRC). After 3 years of intense research and development, thawing. However, these cold temperatures trigger
Plastfix developed the the formation and growth of ice, which can pierce
first known prototype and tear apart cells. Research published in the Journal
of the automated repair of the American Chemical Society by University of
system using state Utah chemists Pavithra Naullage and Valeria Molinero
of the art robotics, provides the foundation to design efficient polymers
software algorithms, 3D that can prevent the growth of ice that damages cells.
scanning and a custom Molinero and Naullage used large-scale molecular
automotive compatible simulations to elucidate the molecular underpinnings of
polypropylene based how flexibility, length and functionalization of polymers
3D printing material. control their binding to ice and their efficiency to
“To think 3 years ago prevent ice growth. Their study shows that the bound
this was a crazy idea and now we are witnessing a robot time of the molecules at the ice surface is controlled by
repair a broken tab on a headlight using 3D printing is the strength of their ice binding coupled with the length
just astonishing,” Plastfix and Tradiebot Industries owner, of the polymer and how fast they propagate on the ice
Mario Dimovski, said. “Our end goal is to have these surface. "We found
Repairbot units on the shelf for sale for sale by the start that the efficiency
of next year retailing for approximately $20,000 USD of flexible polymers
including an ongoing subscription and material cost.” in halting ice growth
The patented solution is moving the company towards is limited by the
expanding its repair range and commercialising a more slow propagation of
compact, industry suited, automated system that would their binding to ice,"
be affordable and easily utilised in any collision repair Molinero says. The
facility worldwide. The network of Repairbots will be study dissects the
supported by Plastfix’s central control centre in Europe, various factors that
managed via a cloud-based inventory of repair programs control the binding of
and headlight tab CAD data. “We are currently exploring flexible polymers to ice and that account for the gap in
all market opportunities with collision groups, OEM’s and potency of PVA and natural antifreeze glycoproteins.
part suppliers to determinethe best fit for our solution. In a nutshell, each block of antifreeze glycoproteins
In the end, if we can assist the industry to repair more binds more strongly to ice than PVA does, and are also
headlights instead of buying new, reducing repair costs favored by their secondary molecular structure that
and divert them from landfill, it’s a win for both business, segregates the binding and non-binding blocks to allow
consumers and the environment,” Dimocski said.The them to attach faster to ice to stop its growth. "To our
system essentially replicates the manual lug repair-kit knowledge, this work is first to identity the time of
solution that OEMs use to replace broken tabs a for certain propagation of binding as a key variable in the design
headlights. Instead of screwing the tabs into the provided of efficient ice-binding flexible polymers," Naullage
repair points on the headlight, however, the Repairbot says. "Our study sets the stage for the de novo design
system 3D prints a set of staking posts and uses a heat of flexible polymers that can meet or even surpass the
staking method to attach the pre-manufactured tab that efficiency of antifreeze glycoproteins and make an
results in a cleaner outcome than the screw heads being impact in biomedical research."
exposed.

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