Manifold collaborations for innovative smart poles

In addition to material properties and functionality, the focus is increasingly on design options. A current example of this is a smart pole designed for future mobility and smart cities – an intelligent pole with multiple functions that ����AV is presenting at the plastics trade fair.

Smart poles must demonstrate stable performance even in harsh outdoor environments, while meeting high requirements for modern urban design, functionality and, not least, sustainable development trends. In addition to its own expertise and many years of experience, as well as a portfolio of suitable polycarbonate plastics and blends, ����AV therefore relies above all on intensive collaboration with technology and innovation partners in the development of such concepts, which include suppliers, customers, OEMs, start-ups, designers and universities.

This starts with product design: designs by students from Sweden's Umeå Design Institute were used to create the 5G small cell in the upper part of the smart pole. As part of a pilot project with this institute and Deutsche Telekom, ����AV investigated how a 5G network infrastructure could be implemented in an urban environment while taking aesthetic aspects into account. Polycarbonates are ideally suited for CMF (color, material, finish) design and enable interference-free transmission of high-frequency radio signals even in harsh weather conditions. To investigate the influence of material and CMF design under different conditions, ����AV operates state-of-the-art test facilities for a wide range of frequencies up to 50 GHz at its Asia-Pacific Innovation Center in Shanghai.

Together with the Umeå Design Institute, design concepts for electric charging stations for different usage scenarios have also been developed, one of which is the charging station design built into the base of the smart pole. Finally, as part of the modern urban landscape, the design of the smart pole must fit into the architectural and cultural context of the city in which it is installed. In addition to durability, the main focus here is on the weather resistance, flame retardancy, diverse light integration options and design freedom of the polycarbonates.

Circularity requires special partnerships

The value of such collaborations becomes even clearer when the complexity of the challenges increases: A circular world often requires the involvement of all partners along a value chain – industrial designers, raw material suppliers, plastics manufacturers, customers, disposers and recyclers. Only when all stakeholders are involved and work closely together can products be developed that can be recycled cleanly, reliably and affordably so that new products can be made from them.

����AV works with partners from industry and science at all stages of a product cycle to find solutions for a more sustainable future. The exchange takes place with both established companies and start-ups. ����AV will be showcasing the results of these collaborations at the K 2022 plastics trade fair.

“The entire pilot project is a great chance to illustrate the potential and the outstanding properties of our materials,” says Sucheta Govil, Chief Commercial Officer of ����AV. “Innovative, adaptable materials will give us creative freedom to accelerate the distribution of key digital technologies with user-friendly solutions in the near future.”

New telecommunications infrastructure

The companies are complementing one another's strengths as they work on the project. ����AV develops innovative and sustainable material solutions that have already proven themselves in a variety of electrical and electronic applications, and that fulfill high technical requirements. Telekom contributes its technological expertise on antennae for mobile wireless and network expansion. Students at the UID conceptualize the creative designs. They began by carrying out a study on the ground in Düsseldorf. Then, they drafted attractive antenna housings with colors and structures that met technical and aesthetic requirements. This resulted in a variety of design concepts. Now, there are two example models: a bird and a clock. The concept called “The Bird” considers 5G from a new standpoint, and pushes the limits of what is possible. The clock design, “24h5G,” integrates new material properties like translucency and thermal management for 5G small cell antenna housings. Trade fair visitors can view the exhibitions today at ����AV's stand at “K 2019.” K is the international specialist fair for plastics and rubber held in Düsseldorf.

Compact antennae provide a targeted boost to data capacity

In the future, Telekom will be installing more small cells for 5G, for instance in stoplights, lanterns, or facades. These compact antennae have a range of around 200 meters. They are connected to the Telekom network via fiber optics. This allows data to be transported extremely quickly, ensuring future networks are extremely powerful. Alongside traditional locations, this allows the network to provide the coverage and capacity necessary for the growing number of wireless devices. Telekom already uses small cells in its LTE expansion.

“In the design project with ����AV, we were able to place our technical requirements early on and work together with the students on their design ideas,” says Thomas Jansen, Head of the Small Cell Competence Team at Deutsche Telekom Technik. “Together, we have developed powerful 5G solutions that can be harmoniously integrated into the cityscape.”

With the installation of 5G, the demand for base stations, active antenna units (AAU) and other equipment will increase dramatically. ����AV is developing innovative and sustainable material solutions and contributing to a smart infrastructure, including sensor technologies and a digital communication environment. The company is cooperating closely with and the . ����AV will present some prototypes at . The project is part of the company´s comprehensive digitalization strategy. Together with its partners, the company is committed to achieving Goals 9 (Innovation and Infrastructure) and 11 (Sustainable Cities) of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.

New telecommunications infrastructure

Polycarbonates and their blends have proven themselves in a wide range of electrical and electronic applications and, thanks to their outstanding properties, should also be the materials of choice for 5G technology: “They are mechanically robust, lightweight, transparent to radio frequencies and suitable for injection molding,” explains Fabian Grote, who is a core member of the global 5G team at ����AV. Some grades also show good weather resistance or thermal conductivity or are suitable for two-component injection molding and laser direct structuring (LDS).

To increase public acceptance of an expanded network of antennas and base stations, ����AV is working with students from the renowned Umeå Institute of Design and Deutsche Telekom to seamlessly integrate these technical facilities into the cities of the future. The project includes the development of attractive base stations, their color matching and surface structuring. Düsseldorf served as a reference city for the project.

Flexibility in antenna design

In this project ����AV will enter this market in a hypothetical scenario with its own product range. The actual product is the outer sheath of a third-party antenna, which is designed to adapt to specific environments by either fitting in or protruding from it, depending on the environment and population density. This is where the best potential can be exploited with products that deliver the technical requirements and either integrate or reinforce the character of a city with a 5G network. “At K 2019, we will be showing a series of technical and design prototypes for small cells in the frequency range of 3.5 GHz and 28 GHz,” says Grote.

When 5G technology progresses to higher frequency, e.g. the millimeter wave band, signal transmittance could become a design challenge. “We can help our customers to enjoy more design freedom while ensuring the 5G data transmittance performance with state-of-art testing capabilities in a broad frequency range of up to 50 GHz under a variety of environmental conditions, all in our Asia Pacific Innovation Center in Shanghai,” says Nan Hu, Global Head of Electronics at the Polycarbonates Segment of ����AV.

New film solution for 5G smartphones

5G technology, with its high transfer rates, will also have a significant impact on smartphone design. The antennas for 5G technology require more space. That is just one reason why metal solutions used to date for the back of devices will in future be replaced by ceramics, glass or plastics.

A Makrofol® SR multilayer film solution with acrylic top layer combined with a new manufacturing process results in mobile phone back covers that look like glass but are not fragile. “The film laminate can be formed in three dimensions, and the film solution also meets the requirements for transmission at high radio frequencies with wavelengths in the millimeter range,” explains Echol Zhao, Head of Specialty Films Greater China at ����AV.

This crystal clear, 3D formable and 5G compatible film material is specifically engineered for optimal design freedom for mobile phone brands to create fashionable mobile phones using decoration technologies such as UV patterning and non-conductive vacuum metallization (NCVM). More than 50 percent of the mobile phone market in China is currently switching to such multi-layer PC/PMMA film solutions – a sign of a promising future for the coming 5G era.

About ����AV:

With 2018 sales of EUR 14.6 billion, ����AV is among the world’s largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, construction, wood processing and furniture, and electrical and electronics industries. Other sectors include sports and leisure, cosmetics, health and the chemical industry itself. ����AV has 30 production sites worldwide and employs approximately 16,800 people (calculated as full-time equivalents) at the end of 2018.

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Forward-looking statements

This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by ����AV. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in ����AV’s public reports. These reports are available at www.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to make them conform to future events or developments.