Raw material solutions by Covestro for 2D printing of coatings and adhesives
Featured Brands
- Desmodur®
- Polyisocyanates for a wide range of PU foams, coatings and adhesives
- Desmomelt U®
- Desmomelt U aliphatic polyurethane powders for new adhesive raw materials
In industries from automotive, electronics and furniture to sporting apparel and footwear, manufacturers are seeking ways to squeeze more efficiency and precision into their production processes, driven by cost pressures, new regulations and rising consumer expectations. Yet in many sectors, coatings and adhesives are still applied manually by spray, brush or screen printing.
For innovative businesses, the digital application of coatings and adhesives is a logical next step.
Digital printing technology will shorten development cycles and allow more individualized products. Covestro is collaborating with value chain partners to provide the right raw materials, broad production expertise and 2D processing know-how to assist companies in the digital printing transformation.
Digital printing of adhesives: Desmomelt® U materials are designed for automated glue application
Product design and production steps are increasingly shaped by digital processing. So the digital application of glue is an important part of the transformation in manufacturing. Desmomelt® U based hot melts enable the highly automated, precise digital printing of adhesives, resulting in greater design freedom. It further enables to manufacture 3D glue profiles to suit complex geometries. Additionally, Desmomelt® U based solvent-borne adhesive formulations show excellent digital printability.
Digitally printed adhesives in footwear: Greater efficiency, less manual steps, higher quality
Assembling shoes is a complex process where many steps are still handled manually, resulting in high labor costs. The digital application of glue is a major step towards full automation in shoe assembly.
Using Desmomelt® U based adhesive filaments in 2D printing means simpler machine designs. The glue is applied only where it is needed, cutting the number of processing steps. Footwear manufacturers also benefit from fewer rejects and less material waste from over-cementing. We work closely with application providers and machine integrators to maximize adhesive quality and efficiency.
Digital printing of coatings: Avoid overspray, masking and production complexity
Covestro provides high-performance polyurethane (PU) based raw materials for coatings, including Desmodur® crosslinkers. Our digital printing know-how enables Covestro customers to formulate high-performance coatings that can be used in precise, digital, maskless and overspray-free applications. This offers increased opportunities for quality control, while matching the trusted properties of classical polyurethane coatings.