Integran Receives Patents for Nanovate Structural Metal Plating-On-Polymer Technology

 

Toronto-based Integran Technologies Inc. announced further advances in its "structural metal plating-on-polymer" technology -- Nanovate NP --  for enhancing fuel efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by enabling the cost-effective manufacture of lightweight transportation parts.

 

The company says its nanometal-polymer hybrid core technology was awarded two patents: US 8,367,170 which issued on Feb 5 and EP 2,193,664 which issued on Feb 20 disclosing lightweight metal-coated polymer electric and electronic housings for use, e.g., in automotive electronic control units (ECUs).

 

"We are pleased that our developments relating to structural plating-on-polymer parts have been recognized in the patent jurisdictions of Europe and the United States as these remain dominant regions for advanced automotive technology development," says Integran's Vice President of Intellectual Property Klaus Tomantschger

 

Integran's President & CEO Gino Palumbo says their technology can be used to replace a variety of electric and electronic housings in modern automobiles, and  provides lightweight parts with impact-resistance and appropriate EMI shielding.

 

Manufactured by combining the two conventional high volume production processes of injection molding and electroplating, Integran envisions this technology to see widespread use in modern vehicles which typically contain between 75 and 100 ECUs.

 

"The technology is expected to be particularly relevant to hybrid electric and plug-in electric vehicles, which in addition to the typical low voltage electronics, contain a myriad of high voltage & power electrical and electronic subsystems," says Palymbo. "Our Nanovate metals technology is also particularly effective at mitigating lower frequency magnetic interference from electric motors."