Himalaia · Project

Coating-Free Injection Moulding That Gives Plastic Parts Built-In Antimicrobial and Scratch-Proof Surfaces

manufacturingTestedTRL 6

Imagine if a plastic car dashboard or medical brace could resist scratches, kill bacteria, and stay clean — not because of a spray-on coating, but because of tiny patterns built right into the surface during manufacturing. That's what this project figured out. They used lasers and clever physics to engrave micro-patterns directly into injection moulds, so every plastic part that comes out already has these properties baked in. Think of it like a non-stick pan where the non-stick feature is part of the metal itself, not a layer that peels off over time.

By the numbers

TRL4 → TRL6

Technology readiness advancement

Industrial demonstrators built (automotive, orthodontics, packaging)

Consortium partners

Countries in the consortium

Surface functionalities achieved (antimicrobial, anti-scratch, anti-squeak, self-cleaning, aesthetic)

55%

Industry ratio in consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Manufacturers across automotive, medical, and packaging sectors spend heavily on applying coatings to plastic parts — for scratch resistance, antimicrobial protection, aesthetics, and self-cleaning. These coatings add production steps, cost, environmental burden, and can degrade or peel over time. There is no widely available method to mass-produce plastic parts with these functional surfaces built directly into the material during standard injection moulding.

The solution

What was built

The project built a complete manufacturing platform combining laser surface texturing, particle self-assembly patterning, and in-line inspection to create micro- and nano-structured injection moulds. Three working demonstrators were produced: automotive interior panels (with CRF), orthodontic devices (with EO), and cosmetic packaging tubes (with Albea). Supporting simulation software for predicting microstructure replication efficiency was also developed.

Audience

Who needs this

Automotive interior parts manufacturers looking to eliminate anti-squeak and anti-scratch coatingsMedical device companies needing inherently antimicrobial polymer surfacesPremium packaging producers wanting coating-free aesthetic effectsInjection mould toolmakers seeking to offer high-value textured mouldsConsumer electronics manufacturers dealing with scratch and fingerprint complaints on plastic housings

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Automotive Components

enterprise

Target: Plastic interior parts manufacturers for automotive OEMs

If you are an automotive parts supplier dealing with customer complaints about squeaky dashboards, scratched trim panels, and costly anti-fingerprint coatings — this project developed a moulding platform that produces interior components with built-in anti-scratch, anti-squeak, and aesthetic surfaces. They validated this with CRF (Fiat Research Centre) through a dedicated automotive in-cabin components demonstrator. No coatings means fewer production steps and no coating degradation over time.

Medical Devices & Orthodontics

any

Target: Manufacturers of dental aligners, braces, and oral medical devices

If you are a medical device manufacturer struggling with antimicrobial compliance and the cost of applying specialized coatings to patient-contact products — this project built an orthodontics demonstrator with partner EO that produces polymer parts with inherent antimicrobial surfaces directly from the mould. The micro-structured surfaces eliminate bacteria without chemical coatings, reducing both production cost and regulatory risk from coating ingredients.

Cosmetic & Consumer Packaging

mid-size

Target: Producers of premium tubes, bottles, and packaging for beauty and personal care brands

If you are a packaging manufacturer under pressure to deliver premium-look surfaces while cutting costs on metallic or pearlescent coatings — this project created a cosmetic tubes demonstrator with Albea that produces packaging with aesthetic and self-cleaning micro-textures straight from the injection mould. This eliminates coating supply chains, reduces environmental impact from coating chemicals, and delivers consistent visual quality at mass-production speed.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

How much could this save compared to current coating processes?

The project objective explicitly targets elimination of expensive coatings from the production process. While specific cost-per-part savings are not published in available data, the savings come from removing coating application steps, coating materials, drying/curing equipment, and coating quality inspection. For high-volume injection moulding runs, these are significant line items.

Can this work at industrial production scale?

Yes — the entire platform was designed for mass-production via injection moulding, which is already the dominant high-volume manufacturing method for plastic parts. The project brought the technology from TRL4 to TRL6, meaning it was validated in a relevant industrial environment. Three sector-specific demonstrators (automotive, orthodontics, packaging) were produced to prove scalability.

What about IP and licensing — can my company use this technology?

The project included dedicated IP and innovation management activities. With 11 consortium partners including 6 industry players across 7 countries, licensing arrangements would need to be negotiated with the consortium, led by coordinator Centre Technique Industriel de la Plasturgie et des Composites in France. Based on available project data, clear exploitation and business plans were developed.

What surface functions can actually be produced?

The platform demonstrated 5 distinct functionalities: antimicrobial (kills bacteria), anti-scratch (resists surface damage), anti-squeak (eliminates friction noise), self-cleaning, and aesthetic (visual effects like structural colour). These can be applied to 3D and large polymer parts — not just flat surfaces.

How mature is this technology — is it ready to deploy?

The project moved from TRL4 (lab-validated) to TRL6 (demonstrated in relevant environment) during its 2017-2021 run. Three industrial demonstrators were built and tested. The technology still needs final engineering and production line integration (TRL7-9) before full commercial deployment, but the core manufacturing platform is proven.

Does this meet regulatory requirements for medical or food-contact applications?

The orthodontics demonstrator specifically targeted medical device surfaces, and Life-Cycle Analysis was conducted as part of the project. Based on available project data, the elimination of chemical coatings could actually simplify regulatory compliance since the functional properties come from physical surface structure rather than chemical additives.

Consortium

Who built it

The Himalaia consortium is strongly industry-oriented with 6 out of 11 partners (55%) coming from industry, backed by 2 universities and 3 research organizations across 7 countries (AT, CH, ES, FR, IT, LU, UK). The coordinator is France's Centre Technique Industriel de la Plasturgie et des Composites — a leading plastics technology centre, which signals deep domain expertise in the core manufacturing process. Named industrial partners include CRF (Fiat/Stellantis research arm for automotive), EO (orthodontics), and Albea (one of the world's largest cosmetic packaging manufacturers). This mix of end-users and technology providers across multiple sectors suggests the results are not locked into a single application but designed for cross-industry adoption.

CENTRE TECHNIQUE INDUSTRIEL DE LA PLASTURGIE ET DES COMPOSITESCoordinator · FR
ALICONA IMAGING GMBHparticipant · AT
UNITED MACHINING MILL AGparticipant · CH
ALBEA SERVICESparticipant · FR
WAVESTONE LUXEMBOURG SAthirdparty · LU
CENTRO RICERCHE FIAT SCPAparticipant · IT
COMMISSARIAT A L ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVESparticipant · FR
WAVESTONE ADVISORSparticipant · FR
THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAMparticipant · UK
UNIVERSITY OF BRADFORDparticipant · UK

How to reach the team

Centre Technique Industriel de la Plasturgie et des Composites (France) — reach out to their technology transfer or industry partnerships department

Order a report on this consortium See CENTRE TECHNIQUE INDUSTRIEL DE LA PLASTURGIE ET DES COMPOSITES profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing this coating-free surface technology for your production line? SciTransfer can connect you with the right consortium partner and help structure the conversation.

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