Japanese printing company Dai Nippon Printing (DNP) has developed a mass-production technique for an environmentally friendly propylene-based decorative film for automobile interiors that company says will promote vehicle recycling efforts.
The new film is being showcased at the Automotive Engineering Exposition 2024 event, with Stage 1 running from May 15 to June 5 and Stage 2 from July 10 to July 31.
Promoting vehicle recycling
In Japan, approximately 3.5 million cars are scrapped annually. Since the enactment of the Automobile Recycling Law in 2002, more than 95% of end-of-life vehicles are now recycled. Traditionally, automobile shredder residue (ASR), including plastic waste, has been thermally recycled through incineration.
In Europe, revisions to the draft regulations on Sustainability Requirements in Vehicle Design and End-of-Life Vehicles (ELV) Management are under consideration, with expectations that the use of recycled plastics in vehicles will become mandatory. Both domestic and international automobile manufacturers and related companies are preparing to comply with these anticipated regulations.
Decorative film
DNP’s new decorative film leverages its experience in PP film printing and processing technology. This ensures a high-quality design and ease of handling for the insert injection molding process. The PP decorative film is also anticipated to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
PP is widely used in automobile parts and is recyclable. However, using PP as a base for decorative films has presented challenges such as weak ink adhesion and difficulty in balancing design quality, physical properties and moldability. DNP has addressed these challenges through its advanced printing technology and expertise, resulting in a mass production technique for PP-based automotive decorative films.
Features of DNP’s decorative film include: the use of PP to support automobile recycling efforts; and lower GHG emitted during raw material manufacturing compared to acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), potentially reducing overall vehicle emissions.
To expand its global presence, DNP is collaborating with DNP Europe, DNP America and DNP Living Space & Mobility (Shanghai), and says it plans to accelerate its business expansion in the future.
