Covestro and Roborock: Revolutionizing Robot Vacuum Cleaners with more Sustainable and Integrated Solutions
Roborock Technology, known for its industry-leading smart home cleaning devices, sought to enhance its robot vacuum cleaners with more sustainable material solutions. In pursuit of this advancement, Roborock engaged Covestro for a holistic solution that would not only augment product performance but also integrate with its broader sustainability ambitions. The requirement was to engineer a solution where environmental considerations are optimized without detracting from product performance or design.
Our partnership with Covestro enhances Roborock's material excellence and reliability, fostering greater innovation in our intelligent robot vacuums. This collaboration not only aims to reduce carbon emissions but also to elevate product performance.
Covestro, in partnership with Roborock Technology, rose to the challenge of engineering more sustainable materials for robot vacuum cleaners that do not compromise on performance and design.
A key hurdle in this endeavor was the limitations of traditional bio and recycled materials. These materials often fail to satisfy critical design and performance metrics. The right materials had to support the Roborock robot vacuum’s entire life cycle and endure the wear and tear of everyday cleaning, while enjoying a high level of design freedom for uncompromised aesthetics.
As smart home electronics enter the IoT era, the supply chain is leaning towards more sustainable materials, This is a key point to achieve product differentiation. Covestro is dedicated to working with partners like Roborock to promote more sustainable solutions for a climate-neutral future.
Covestro's comprehensive solution harnesses the combined strengths of two pioneering material technologies: the bio-mass-balanced thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and post-consumer recycled (PCR) flame-retardant polycarbonate blends, marking a leap in sustainability for smart home appliances.
The intelligent robot vacuum’s brush and wheel components feature our biomass balanced Desmopan® TPU MBC solution, incorporating 10%-15% ISCC Plus-certified sustainable content attributed from biomass and renewable raw materials. This more sustainable solution maintains equivalent performance and quality to fossil based TPUs while offering lower carbon emissions. Our TPU solution can be seamlessly integrated into existing systems without requiring technical investment or production interruptions. This innovative TPU solution enhances robot vacuum cleaners with superior wear resistance, quieter operation, and an improved user experience. Additionally, by mass balancing, our Desmopan® TPU CQ MBC series can integrate up to 80%* renewable raw materials that potentially reduces carbon emissions by up to 20% compared to traditional TPU manufacturing.
* Based on up to 65% segregated and up to 25% bio-circular attributed content
The robot vacuum housing is made of Bayblend® FR3010 R75, a flame-retardant PC/ABS material with 75% PCR content certified by UL Solutions' Environmental Claim Validation (ECV). Not only does it reduce landfilled plastic waste, but it also reduces carbon emissions by 50% compared to its virgin counterpart. The material also meets the rigorous UL94 V0 standards across various wall thicknesses, ensuring maximum safety and design versatility.
Together, these more sustainable materials from Covestro represent a significant leap forward. They exemplify our ability to harmonize environmental responsibility with outstanding performance and design freedom, setting new standards in the industry.
There is an increased environmental consciousness, and a growing demand for sustainable thermoplastic polyurethane solution. Partnerships like Covestro with Roborock will help drive further widespread adoption of recycled materials and circular design concepts in smart home appliances sector.
Key benefits
- Integrated Material Solution A one-stop material solution for sustainability, performance and design.
- More Sustainable Content Polycarbonate blend with 75% PCR content, and TPUs made with up to 80% renewable content through mass balancing
- Enhanced Safety Fire-resistant PC/ABS material ensure robust safety , meets stringent industry regulations.
- Enhanced Durability Covestro ensures enhanced longevity and reliability in material performance.
- Design and Aesthetic Versatility Flexible design, meeting the diverse visions of every designer.