IMD, also known as in-mold decoration or in-mold extension technology, is a product with printing color effect and texture (without other post-processing), and it is an integrated process technology that combines traditional post-processing technology with in-mold inlay injection technology.
IMD/IML process products
IMD is a popular surface decoration technology in the world at present, which has obvious advantages in replacing traditional technology in a wide range of applications. It is mainly used for surface decoration and function panels of household appliances, window lenses and housings of mobile phones and digital 3C products, protective covers of various brands of mobile phones and headphones, automobile interiors and dashboards and signs, medical instruments and testing instruments, cosmetics and other fields.
Conceptually speaking, IMD includes IML, IMT, IMF and IME, which is a general term for this process. Now people take IML as the general name of this technology, because IML is the most widely used branch of in-mold decoration technology. In 1990s, when this industry was just emerging overseas, it was called the injection molding technology of mold decoration (IMD). With the continuous evolution and iteration of technology, IML, IMT, IMF, IME and other subdivision technologies have emerged.
IML:
INMOLDINGLABEL (injection bonded printed film) has a hardened transparent film on the surface, a printed pattern layer in the middle, a plastic layer on the back, and ink in the middle.
Process flow: material cutting → flat printing of diaphragm → drying and curing of ink → punching positioning holes → thermoforming of diaphragm → cutting peripheral waste → putting diaphragm into mold cavity → injection molding → finished product.
Advantages and disadvantages: the surface is hard, the ink is environmentally friendly and never fades, there is no obvious disadvantage, the process is mature and stable, the color effect design is not limited, it can be switched at will, it is widely used, the yield is high and the price is relatively low.
Design considerations: the height of the product should be within 12mm (it will break if it is too high), and the thickness of glue should be above 1.2mm, so the product will be deformed.
IMF:
Molded film (high stretch)
Process flow: material cutting → flat printing of diaphragm → drying and curing of ink → punching positioning holes → high-pressure forming of diaphragm → circumferential cutting of peripheral scraps → flow coating and hardening → (if necessary, put the diaphragm into mold cavity for injection molding).
Advantages and disadvantages: the surface needs flow coating hardening, which is used to stretch products with extremely high quality. Diaphragm should be made of composite material. If the product has no structure, it can be directly made into high-pressure diaphragm without injection molding. The capacity of NC ring cutting is limited, and the yield is generally more expensive.
Design considerations: the height of the product is not limited, and the thickness of glue should be designed according to the thickness of diaphragm, which will be greatly deformed after injection molding.
IMT:
Internal mold Translatelabel (release diaphragm)
Process flow: coating the diaphragm from the release layer → cutting → flat printing of the diaphragm → drying and curing of the ink → punching the positioning hole → thermoforming of the diaphragm → placing the diaphragm into the mold cavity → injection molding → mold opening and release (ink and plastic are bonded, and diaphragm and release are separated).
Advantages and disadvantages: the surface needs flow coating hardening for ultra-thin products (diaphragm release). The release yield is not high, the production capacity is limited, the release technology is not mature enough, the yield is low and the price is relatively expensive.
Design considerations: the height of the product should be less than 6mm (it will crack if it is too high), and the glue thickness can be designed to be 0.85mm, and there is basically no deformation after the diaphragm is released.
IME:
3D in-mold electronics is a new technology extension direction.
IME technology is an innovative technology developed on the basis of IMD and stereo circuit technology, and it is a kind of bare "stereo circuit" film surface decoration technology. High-performance electronic paste is printed on IMD film, circuit, touch control, antenna, LED, ic, etc. All of them are concentrated in one assembly, and at the same time, the 3D shape is stretched and glued to the surface of plastic products to realize the corresponding functions of "smart skin" or "electronic skin". The design freedom is further expanded, which saves assembly time and cost, and the product has more scientific and technological aesthetic feeling. At present, it is a popular technology in automobile interior, which is used by automobile manufacturers to upgrade their products.