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From bioplastic to coffee capsule: How Bio-Caps combines sustainable production and high performance
Sustainable production meets high performance: Bio-Caps relies on fully electric ENGEL e-motion injection moulding machines to produce biodegradable coffee capsules efficiently and economically – without compromising on quality and precision.
:focal(1756x903:1757x904) "Sustainable production meets high performance by Bio-Caps | ENGEL")
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packaging
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technology
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sustainability
Is sustainable production compatible with high economic performance?
Demand for environmentally friendly packaging solutions is growing, while at the same time manufacturers need to produce economically and efficiently. Bio-Caps GmbH shows how sustainable production and high industrial performance can go hand in hand. Their biodegradable coffee capsules are made from innovative bioplastics via fully electric ENGEL e-motion injection moulding machines.
The company produces biodegradable coffee capsules from patented innovative biopolymers that are not only compostable but also provide an excellent oxygen barrier to preserve the aroma of the coffee for months.
What are the challenges involved in processing bioplastics?
Products made from bioplastics such as Terrablend® place high demands on processing. This is particularly true for home-compostable materials. The capsules must be produced with precision so that they function flawlessly in standard coffee machines. Even the smallest dimensional deviations can cause the capsules to deform or leak.
 "Norbert Kuhl | Bio-Caps GmbH")
The biggest problem is the warping of the capsules when exposed to heat – the dimensional accuracy must be perfect so that the capsule works in every machine.
In addition, high crystallisation rates make it difficult to process bioplastics. To ensure sustainable production, extremely fast injection times and maximum precision are required – this is the only way to maintain constant quality and guarantee functionality.
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Products made from bioplastics such as Terrablend® place the highest demands on injection moulding processes. For sustainable production, the capsules must be produced with precision so that they function flawlessly in standard coffee machines.
What are the requirements for the production of sustainable bioplastic products?
In order for bioplastic products to be produced with process reliability, maximum performance is required:
Injection times of 90 to 100 millisec. to achieve complete mould filling
Water temperatures of around 15 °C
Fast cooling time of only 0.9 seconds so that the products come out of the machine lukewarm and can be processed more efficiently
High-performance machines for process reliability in production
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The fully electric ENGEL e-motion injection moulding machine produces coffee capsules from bioplastic with maximum precision and speed. Optimised cooling and short cycle times ensure stable, sustainable production and maximum efficiency.
Which solution enables high performance in bioplastic injection moulding?
Bio-Caps relies on fully electric ENGEL e-motion machines, which were especially developed for high-performance applications.
Advantages of the e-motion injection moulding machine for high-performance applications:
Short cycle times thanks to highly dynamic electric drives
High precision for dimensional accuracy without warpage
Cleanliness by means of fully electric technology without hydraulic oil
Energy efficiency by means of optimised movement sequences
This combination enables stable, fast, hygienic and sustainable production – ideal for bioplastic products such as coffee capsules, packaging and other sustainable solutions.
ENGEL was the only supplier who could provide us with a fully electric machine capable of reaching these extremely short injection times.
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The fully electric ENGEL e-motion 160 injection moulding machine stands for maximum precision and efficiency. It enables stable, fast and sustainable production – ideal for products made from bioplastics.
Outlook: Commonly developing new bioplastics for the sustainable production of tomorrow
The example of Bio-Caps shows how close cooperation with ENGEL enables process reliability for the processing of new and demanding bioplastics.
Further examples of bioplastics in use include 100% biodegradable and bio-based materials in powder form. Intensive research and development is also currently being carried out in collaboration with SKZ on the topic of paper injection moulding.
As the market is constantly evolving, products made from newly developed bioplastics are regularly tested at ENGEL's customer technical centre. This allows us to continuously extend our expertise and lay the foundation for future-proof solutions.
 "Bianca Gubi | ENGEL")
We work closely with our customers to ensure the process reliability of new bioplastics. In this way, we are continuously expanding our expertise and driving forward sustainable solutions.
Bio-Caps masters the challenge: high performance combined with sustainable production from bioplastics
The processing of sophisticated bioplastics is complex. Dimensional accuracy, fast curing and high precision are crucial.
At Bio-Caps, even the smallest deviations can render the products unusable.
Bio-Caps solves these challenges with the help of fully electric ENGEL e-motion injection moulding machines and optimized processes – for precise, fast and sustainable production of bioplastic products.
The success factors of Bio-Caps:
Short cycle times thanks to fully electric injection moulding machines
Short injection and cooling times
Highest precision by using home-compostable materials
Cleanliness and hygiene by means of fully electric technology without hydraulic oil
Sustainable, resource-saving production processes
Bio-Caps impressively demonstrates that sustainable production and high-performance manufacturing are a perfect match.
FAQ
Bioplastics are plastics that are either made from renewable raw materials or are biodegradable. Some materials also meet both criteria. They can reduce the use of fossil raw materials and enable sustainable applications, such as compostable coffee capsules or bio-based packaging solutions.
The Terrablend® bioplastic used by Bio-Caps has a high crystallisation rate. This means that the material solidifies very quickly and is sensitive to even the slightest process fluctuations. Extremely short injection times and maximum dimensional accuracy are required for stable processing. This is the only way to ensure that the coffee capsules function properly.
Fully electric high-performance machines such as the ENGEL e-motion enable extremely short injection times, precise mould filling and energy-efficient processes. This is ideal for demanding bioplastics such as those used by Bio-Caps.
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packaging
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technology
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sustainability
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