TECOS – the Slovenian Tool and Die Development Centre – provides engineering services that support both domestic and international partners in product development, from idea to production. TECOS offers a comprehensive and complementary range of engineering services, including plastic injection molding simulations, metal forming simulations, conformal cooling and metal 3D printing, 3D scanning and reverse engineering, optical 3D measurements and metrology, FEA structural analysis, prototyping, material development, and small-series plastic injection molding, as well as technology transfer.
As a partner in the CIRCOTRONIC project – a Transnational Network of Circular Labs for Electrical and Electronic Equipment (Interreg Central Europe) – TECOS works alongside other project partners to reduce environmental impact and implement circular approaches in the production of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE). The goal of the project is to identify EEE challenges and find sustainable, circular-oriented solutions and best practices that will help reshape EEE manufacturing in Central Europe in line with circular economy principles. These include efficient processes, value chains, products, and services, as well as reducing the environmental footprint of EEE. TECOS also pursues these project goals in its regular operations through collaborations with various clients.
ULLA – Development of a Smart Hydration Reminder
ULLA is a smart gadget that reminds users to drink more water and is a result of TECOS’ development. Together with ULLA Labs, TECOS designed the plastic components of the product to meet the following requirements:
- The product must be easy to assemble and disassemble
- It must fit any glass or bottle
- The toughness must prevent it from breaking when dropped
- It must have smooth, rounded shapes, as the user touches it every time they drink
- The materials must be skin-safe, causing no irritation or chemical migration
- It must function within a temperature range of -20°C to +50°C.
During the design phase, both technological and material limitations of the processes were taken into account. Initially, polypropylene (PP) with food-grade certifications was selected as the injection molding material.
The complete product consists of five components: the electronic circuit, battery, attachment strap, top casing, and bottom casing. The insertion of the electronic circuit and battery into the lower casing is designed to be intuitive and prevents incorrect assembly. TECOS’s role in the project was to design the complete product and mold, and to produce the plastic components in series.
ULLA – A Smart Hydration Reminder with Added Circular Value
In the next phase, TECOS and ULLA Labs launched a follow-up project that integrated CEPLAFIB recycled materials into innovative high-tech products. Originally made from virgin plastic, ULLA was redesigned to incorporate environmentally friendly materials in line with the principles of circular economy and sustainable development. This redesign resulted from a collaboration with the CEPLAFIB consortium, which developed a new composite material made from post-consumer plastic packaging and newspaper. The resulting composite recyclate, reinforced with cellulose fibers, is suitable for use in advanced manufacturing sectors such as automotive, packaging, and construction.
Through this collaboration, TECOS and ULLA Labs produced the first ULLA device made entirely from 100% recycled plastic and waste newspaper fibers. By optimizing the ratio of recycled plastic to paper fibers, the elastic modulus of the material can be improved by up to 210%, while the strength of final products can increase by up to 40%.
Transferring Best Practices to the EEE Sector
The development of the first fully recycled ULLA device offers a practical example of how best practices in circular product development can be transferred to the electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) sector. The ULLA project demonstrates how innovative design and cross-sector collaboration can result in high-value products with reduced environmental impact (compared to the use of virgin raw materials). With 100% use of recycled materials, TECOS and ULLA Labs have shown that circular economy principles can be successfully applied to high-tech product development. ULLA is not only a reminder to stay hydrated – it is a reminder of the importance of sustainable thinking in engineering and product innovation.