Faster testing of effect colors for laminate applications

Thanks to spe­cial pro­ces­ses and samp­le bo­xes, GRA­FE sa­ves cust­o­m­ers de­ve­lop­ment time

With a special process, the GRAFE GROUP, Blankenhain, is able to test and simulate color ideas for multilayer applications as early as the development phase. “This way, we can achieve results faster in material designs in this area and optimize the development time for customized products to the benefit of our customers,” explains Lars Schulze, Head of Color Development and Material Sciences.

Multilayer applications are used in a variety of ways in the packaging and pharmaceutical industries to protect products from environmental influences and extend their shelf life. In the furniture industry or for high-quality consumer goods, laminates are a cost-effective alternative that achieve a high-quality surface appearance – and that with a minimal use of effect pigments.

“The substrate material in the base color, in combination with the applied effect carrier, saves on the need for solid-colored plastic,” explains Schulze. A decorative film that carries expensive effect pigments for the optics is combined with the cost-effective, solid-colored base material, which ensures the stability of the product,” the expert adds. ”This combination of a base layer and a translucent effect layer enables unique color effects that cannot be achieved with mono-coloring, or only at great expense.”

The challenge in developing the color design lies in the dosage of the pigments in the top layer in combination with the appearance of the substrate. “With our technology, color ideas can be tested cost-effectively and simulated in-house, saving the customer time, material and machine setup costs, and thus also product development costs,” reports Schulze. [... more @ grafe.com]