Challenges in Developing Sustainable Packaging Solutions for Adhesives The entire life cycle of a product, or the system into which the product flows, should be considered to identify additional carbon reduction potential. The topic of sustainability is becoming increasingly important in the development of packaging and other consumables. Ecological and social challenges are important factors to consider when developing new products. Consequently, environmentally friendly materials and energy efficiency are taking center stage in a new approach for two-component packaging development. By using recycled or biobased materials and harnessing energy-efficient production processes, companies can contribute to protecting the environment by reducing their carbon footprint. However, this alone is often not enough. To make products even more sustainable, the consistent use of eco-design principles is vital. For example, reducing materials or using a standard plastic with a lower carbon footprint can help to minimize the overall ecological impact of products further. In addition, the entire life cycle of a product, or the system into which the product flows, should be considered to identify further carbon reduction potential. The example of a sustainable solution for two-component application systems can be used to show the challenges faced during development with regards to harmonizing economical, ecological, and technical requirements. The aim is to achieve the best possible compromise and establish a viable solution that is appreciated by customers To attain this, various analysis and simulation methods are combined to form a digital development chain. This approach makes it possible to accurately consider the required performance, overall manufacturing costs, and sustainability of a product at an early stage of development. Digital Simulations for More Economical Solutions The finite element method (FEM) can be used to analyze the mechanical integrity of components. This numerical simulation is used to measure both the rigidity and the strength of the products to be manufactured. If cyclical loads also occur in the subsequent application, fatigue calculations are performed downstream to estimate the expected service life. Due to the close coupling of injection molding filling and structural simulations, manufacturing influences are directly considered in the structural calculation. Computation fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations aid in the development of geometries for mixing two-component adhesives. Taking into account the often-complex rheological properties of adhesives and application conditions, the most efficient mixing technology can be selected or newly developed. In this context, efficiency relates to achieving a specified quality of the adhesive components to be mixed with the lowest possible pressure loss and the smallest possible mixer geometry. In parallel to numerical simulation, the injection molding process is analyzed via filling simulations before the first tool is produced. This allows problems that could occur to be identified. Suitable measures can then be taken, for example, to avoid air inclusions, move weld lines to non-critical areas, or optimize fiber orientation. Furthermore, it provides important information about the shrinkage and warping of components during cooling. As the filling process has a major impact on production costs, simulation in advance offers enormous potential for improving the cost-effectiveness of the product. Diverse Challenges with Seemingly Minor Changes Various scenarios are conceivable for the development of more sustainable packaging solutions. One possibility is to reduce environmental impact through incremental change, like selecting a different material. With this approach, usually only one part of the product life cycle is optimized. The aim is to continue with a largely unchanged product design to achieve the shortest possible implementation times. A more radical approach, such as a new packaging concept, can open greater sustainability optimization potential. This usually involves a new product design that unlocks carbon savings throughout the entire product life cycle. However, to achieve the improvements, it may be necessary to adapt processing steps within the supply chain. The challenges in the product development of packaging solutions for two-component dispensing systems are manifold. Safe use of the cartridges and the storage stability of the components are important aspects that must be considered during development. It is necessary to design the products in such a way that the components in the cartridges do not react prematurely and thus impair their functionality. Regulatory requirements also play a vital role in the development of packaging solutions for two-component dispensing systems. Material Selection These aspects must be considered when selecting materials. If a reference product is made from a fossil-based plastic, a more sustainable material must be selected that fulfills the mechanical properties and chemical resistance of the original. To be successful in switching from carbon-intensive raw materials to more sustainable options, it is important to be able to use existing production processes and facilities. For injection molding, this means using the same machines and molds. Today, sustainable alternatives to virgin plastic are generally more expensive, as the production process is more complex and manufacturing volume lower. In the future, this difference could decrease due to economies of scale with bioplastics or legislation that makes the use of fossil fuel-based plastics more expensive, like additional taxes. Recycled "drop-ins" have the largest overlap and therefore offer great potential for more sustainable products. The aim here should be to use the recycled material for a sophisticated technical application in which petroleum-based plastics would normally be utilized. Material Evaluation Internationally active companies generally have a global footprint in terms of production sites. The best approach when utilizing recycled materials is "local-for-local," i.e. to use locally available materials at localized production plants. This supports regional approaches to the circular economy and avoids unnecessary transportation. In addition, there are generally no globally available recycled material types, as is the case with petroleum-based plastics. The consequence is that different suppliers in each region must be used. Materials from these suppliers will have varied properties. The challenge is to meet the necessary material requirements for the safe use of the product. When using recycled material, there may be color deviations between different production batches, as well as defects such as black dots. These have no effect on product performance. Due to their widespread use as packaging material, there is a large selection of post-consumer recycles (PCR) for standard plastics such as polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE). For technical plastics such as polyamide (PA) or polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), PCR material streams are generally not yet available in sufficient quantities. A post-industrial recycle (PIR) could be used for these materials. Consistent Performance A real drop-in solution uses more sustainable material but meets the same application requirements for standard items — although these are varied for a modern application system. The dimensions and material properties of the components must adhere to specifications so that they function perfectly in combination with other individual parts, e.g. when closing the cartridge with a plug, or that the friction between the piston and cartridge meets specifications. It is also important to ensure that the system remains tight under changing climatic conditions. During use, loads occur, so the relevant components must have a corresponding mechanical stability to comply with the specified burst or drop strengths. Calculating the Ecological Footprint To calculate and simulate the ecological footprint of a product, medmix uses life cycle assessment (LCA) software. The LCA evaluates the environmental impact of a product over its entire life cycle — from raw material extraction to disposal. The product life cycle can be divided into three phases: