Markets and Applications

The process of UV casting nano & micro structures on to materials' surfaces is similar to a printing or embossing technique but more specifically a UV casting process whereby materials like PET film or Glass sheet can have nano and micro surface structures applied to it in, Roll 2 Roll, Roll 2 Plate/Sheet, Direct Sheet/Sheet Fed and also direct casting to large undulating surfaces, such as wind turbine blades, aircraft surfaces, and marine/ship hulls.

UV casting has many major advantages over existing and conventional surface structuring processes such as injection moulding, extrusion, hot (thermo-plastic) embossing. The technology is growing in adoption as a preferred method of reproducing high fidelity nano & micro structures competitively with added value properties and improved economic & performance benefits. A greater range of materials can be surface structured which increases their application within thin film products and devices.

There is a general and long term global growth in thin film, energy efficient electronic devices and a drive towards energy efficiency, energy harvesting and development of renewable energy technologies. A large scale, thin film production company, producing innovative, nano & micro optical and functional surface structured films would be well placed to take advantage of this global growth.

The key markets identified for the technology and its thin film products would initially be in:

Market Sectors

Riblets for Drag Reduction Systems for Transport Energy Efficiency

Riblet micro structures are used for the reduction of drag or skin friction reduction.

Large area microstructured surface technology can control fluid flows by the active manipulation of the coherent elements that develop in a boundary layer as it flows past a structure, such as a aircraft wing upper surface minimising drag/turbulance (both skin friction and pressure) and controlling flow separation in order to improve the high lift and propulsive performance. The benefits of flow control are improved performance and manoeuvrability, increased range and payload, and reduced environmental costs (primarily fuel) but also noise.

Flow dynamics of large surface area objects and vehicles - marine (ships, boats), wind turbines, aircraft, automotive, long haul vehicles, transport & haulage, trains etc.

Solutions/Products: - Functional Surfaces for Turbulence reduction, increased lift and drag reduction, in-situ direct surface structuring and riblet structured foils.

MACHOVIA Technology Innovations are involved in a number of leading edge projects providing solutions to end user customers and OEMs from Design & Origination of the highest quality Riblet structures, through to the production of UV Casting tools and forms, to the engineering and construction of machines for the application Riblet structures to large surfaces areas.

Solar; Flexible PV and Rigid Crystalline Silicon

Energy harnessing and harvesting, for power (electricity) generation in Solar devices.
Solutions/Products: - Light trapping, Concentrator and Light Management Optical films and glasses.

Architectural Glass

Energy reduction, light trapping films and glasses, other, etc.
Solutions/Products:- Light trapping structures on glaases & films and wavelength filter structures.

Lighting & Display

Thin film or sheet glass, low energy devices; large area displays and lighting.
Solutions/Products: - OLEDs, Light management; Diffuser, Collimator, Light Guide films.

Applications

• Riblet Structures and Drag Reduction, etc.
• Solar PV & CPV
• Electronics - Thin Film/Flat Panel Displays & Devices
• Opto-Electronics
• OLED - Lighting and Displays
• Electronics - Printed Electronics
• Lighting - Thin Film Lighting Systems/Luminaires
• Functional Structured / Performance Surfaces
• Energy Efficiency Functional Surfaces
• Flow Dynamic Surfaces
• Printed Electronics - RFID, Optical Waveguides, Polymer Conductive Circuits
• Graphic Arts - Security & Brand Protection/Authentication; Optical Features & Devices
  • OVD (Optically Variable Divices) security
  • Holographic, Diffraction Gratings
  • Lenticular; Linear and Moth Eye, 3D Images & Dynamic Graphic Printing
• Defence Industry & Military
• Architectural Glass & Panels