US contest rewards the best in plastics design

The competition, organised by the Alliance for Plastics Processors (APP) - a division of the plastics trade association SPI, which also organised the NPE show - comprised 15 awards, including a ‘People’s Choice’ category that was decided by on-line voting by members of the public.

That honour went to South American company Excelec, based in Medellin in Colombia, for its injection-moulded smart energy meter made out of recycled PET resin.

This winning entry was chosen by more than 3,500 of the 10,000 online voters and allows users to purchase energy in small amounts by prepaying and entering a code. It means that low-income Colombian citizens can access energy even when they cannot afford a 24-hour supply.

US-based firm Hospira won the 11th Industrial Designers Society of America/Plastics News design award for a novel medical syringe manufactured using a process described as “completely amazing” by the judges.

Hospira’s iSecure syringe is made using a multishot moulding process in which all four component parts are produced and assembled together in one mould. The device is claimed to allow hospitals to package drugs within stricter safety guidelines but without exceeding cost restraints.

Another design award, entitled ‘Innovations in Plastics’, was given to Inergy Automotive Systems for its twin sheet blow moulded auto fuel tank system. This system integrates sensors and fuel pump inside the tank by moulding the walls around them, so eliminating the need for access apertures. This innovative moulding technique reduces the tank’s evaporative emissions, said the judges.

The multi-use KorOne water bottle, made by US-based Nypro, won the ‘Sustainable Consumer Award’, while the Venezualan QDesk product, designed by the country’s Investigacio y Desarollo and moulded by Industrias Q’Productos, won the ‘Single Part Award’.

QDesk is a rotationally-moulded school desk designed to improve on the furniture commonly used in schools in the developing countries. A single piece of polyethylene is used to form the chair/table hybrid, eliminating the need for any nails or bolts.

Socially conscious designers were clearly in favour at the awards, as another item designed to help third world countries came top in the Industrial and Military category.

FPM’s water brick is a recyclable high density polyethylene container that holds 12.9 litres of water and is intended for use by humanitarian aid agencies. In addition, the brick, moulded by ACM Plastics, won the sustainable component award.

Durham Boat’s carbon fibre oar, which also garnered praise in the Plastics News design award, won the Recreation and Leisure category. Durham says the aerodynamic profile of the oar shaft and blade results in reduced air resistance when the oar is out of the water.

In the furniture category, Herman Miller’s Embody chair triumphed for its ergonomic, ‘pixellated’ moulded back. The judges said the chair, manufactured in acetal resin from BASF, provides both strength and long-term comfort for office workers. The item was moulded by Cascade Engineering and ITW Dahti.

Deere won the Lawn & Garden/Agriculture award for a one-piece seed tube, injection moulded by Steinwall, that reportedly eliminates the ‘seed bounce’ problems of earlier devices through the use of a double-action slide mechanism.

In retail, Target caught the judges eye for the design its own shopping trolley in high density polyethylene, polycarbonate, glass filled nylon and PC/ABS. The company contracted Bemis to use injection, coinjection and gas-assisted moulding to make the carts.

And finally, Mexican firm Fomento Económica won the top Packaging and Materials Handling prize for a low cost pallet designed to withstand forklift impact.