Photo by Google/IDSA The Google On Hub wireless router system.
A residential router for connecting wireless devices, a line of outdoor tools, a floating record player, an ultra-thin lightweight computer and a smart-technology road bicycle are among the 2016 International Design Excellence Awards’ top winners with significant plastics content.
The Industrial Designers Society of America received more than 1,700 IDEA entries from 32 countries. Judges selected 73 top winners — those eligible for gold and silver recognitions — and 63 bronze winners.
IDSA will disclose the gold and silver IDEA winners on 17 August. Among the winners in the running for gold or silver is the Google OnHub residential router, designed by Google and design agency Whipsaw.
The main housing uses Sabic Cycoloy-brand C6600 polycarbonate/ABS blend. The base is die cast aluminium, and the outer shell is offered in either a natural bamboo or ABS. The shroud serving as the outside cover uses high impact HI-121H ABS from LG Chem.
Another IDEA 2016 winner, Zebra Technologies’ TC8000 handheld mobile computer, also uses a Sabic material. Sabic Lexan EXL 9330 PC copolymer is the moulding material for the main housing and for the substrate of the front bezel. Covestro Texin 950 aromatic polyether-based thermoplastic PU is overmoulded onto the front bezel.
Read the full article at Plastics News.
? Sabic and Covestro are sponsoring and will make presentations at the Design Chain @ K conference, being organised by Plastics News Europe at Messe Düsseldorf during K 2016. The conference, which also features product designers from BMW, Lenovo, Microsoft Surface and Logitech, takes place on 24-25 October. Find out more at the conference website.
