In-Mold Electronics

In-Mold Electronics

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In-mold electronics

In-Mold Electronics eliminate additional weight and post-processing operations by allowing parts to be directly included in the electronic circuitry during the molding cycle. It combines In-Mold Decorating (IMD) technology with Printed Electronics. Benefits include enhanced manufacturing productivity, overall system cost reductions and greater design flexibility. Designers like the technology as it allows them to eliminate the buttons and multiple layers involved in the assembly of conventional electro-mechanical switches and to replace them with pre-integrated plastic parts. The results are highly functional, lightweight, and aesthetic parts.

Typically, an In-Mold Electronics application starts with the screen printing of a PC or PE film with its decorative design. On top of that, conductive and dielectric inks are screen-printed. Once cured, the printed films are thermo-formed into a 3D shape. The 3D forms are then placed in an injection mold where resin is injected behind it. The final part is a rigid plastic component with functionality. Surface mounted components such as connectors or LEDs are added after the forming and molding operations to increase the functionality of the part. GenesInk’s SmartInk requires no compromise between thermoformability and conductivity.

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Automotive industry

Advantages of In-Mold Electronics are numerous and include: lightweighting, space-saving, robustness, freedom of design.

In-Mold Electronics are used for manufacturing instruments and door panels as well as window and door controls in automobiles. IME allows the redesign of the shape of door panels, including touch sensors for seat positioning, as well as integrated door heaters and control sensors. IME enable designers to create new shapes for car interiors. With less materials and parts used, plus a significant reduction in production processing steps, the cost savings are also beneficial to car makers.

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Aerospace industry

In the aerospace industry, where buttons and wires account for significant weight in common switches, In-Mold Electronic technology eliminates them, providing significant weight reduction. It simplifies the design, makes the circuit part of the structure and therefore eliminates a lot of the wiring, thus saving space and weight.

Antennas integrated into the aircraft body can also save significant space and weight in airplanes and helicopters. Those antennas can be in-molded through a printing / molding process that has already been demonstrated by the GenesInk team.

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Appliances

In-Mold Electronics can also serve as touch controls in numerous white good appliances. Integrating In-Mold Electronics into appliances not only helps manufacturers to improve the design of their products, but it also provides significant advantages in production. Such advantages include the elimination of bulky tech boxes, reduction of waste when printing electronics, decreasing the use of lead, complying with RoHS, and greater cost efficiencies than traditional membrane switch boards.

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