Eco friendly dip moulding? TPE/TPO/TPU thermoforming?

Hi Guys and Girls,

I’m designing a series of pendant lights , and I’m really intrigued by dip moulding as its a relatively cheap set up and production cost per unit.

Design features i’m looking for, and why i’m liking dip moulding:

High value of material through matte texture and rubbery feel
undulating design with undercuts
variety of color
UV resistance
heat resistance (enough for lighting)/ flame resistance (through additives or not)

I’ve looked all over the internet reading trade journals etc, looking for eco-friendly options, either recyclable or biodegradable in some sense, but it seems elastomers are generally thermosets and non-recyclable.

Does anyone know if there are any greener options? and if they do know where to source this stuff?


Alternatively I was thinking vac-forming santoprene or some other TPE/TPO/TPU. These are recyclable, but im not sure if they have enough stretch to deal with kinda severe but rounded undercuts.



The red Bellow is a shape that best describes effects im after in terms of undercuts

Id be greatful for any advice.
Thanks

What materials have you investigated? There may be more indirect ways of handling the EOL but it is material dependent.

I find using dip molding that you have to be careful considering drip paths and trimming. Additionally, be mindful of the lack of control of thickness tolerances, that may be an important aspect of a pendant lamp shade.