Featuring ADVANCED INPUT, MEMTRON, and LRE MEDICAL Products

In Mold Decorating
of Injection Molded Parts

In Mold Decorating of Injection Molded Parts

IMD offers many design flexibility

and productivity advantages versus
other decoration methods done after
molding. These benefits include
design flexibility, multiple colors
and effects, textures with a single
operation, long lasting graphics,
manufacturing productivity, and
systems cost reductions.
Steps in the IMD Process

In-mold Decoration (IMD), also known as

Film Insert Molding (FIM), is a versatile and
cost effective method of decorating and
manufacturing durable plastic parts.
The process of in-mold decorating a plastic
component consists essentially of 4 stages:
Printing, Forming, Cutting and Molding
Printing:
The printing operation is used to create the
decorative appearance of the product. While a
variety of standard technologies can be used for
this stage, silk screen printing is most commonly
used.
Forming:

Film is screen printed

(decorated) on first
and/or second surface.

Film is then formed to

shape and cut to final
size.

The forming process converts the flat 2D-printed

image into a 3D part which is sometimes
referred to as a formed appliqu. This process is
sometimes referred to as thermo-forming which
is a catchall term to include vacuum forming,
hydro forming and high pressure forming. In all
three of these techniques, the flat printed image
is shaped over or into a tool using negative or
positive pressure. The tool can be either male or
female, and each type has its own advantages
and disadvantages.
Cutting: Cutting of the 3D film may be
performed before or after the molding operation
depending on a number of factors and usually
specified by the IMD supplier.
Molding:

Film is inserted into special mold

tool and part is injection molded,
permanently bonding decorated film.

The IMD foil(s) is then placed in the cavity of

the mold tool and the required resin is injected
behind it. The foil can be manually or robotically
placed into the tool depending on the volume
required and the need for a fast cycle time. The
molding process itself will almost certainly have
to be optimized to suit the foil. Since all IMD
techniques are intended to create cosmetically
attractive parts, it will be clear that care in
handling of the product is a key issue.

Advantages - Disadvantages - Applications

One of the most efficient and cost-effective ways of decorating a part is to
do it during the molding cycle. In Mold Decoration (IMD) can provide several
important advantages over other decoration methods.

Advantages:
Design Flexibility allows customers to express
their personalities while the products are
easily manufactured.
Multiple colors, effects and textures with a
single operation that are complete when the
part comes out of the mold.
Legend/graphics wear is almost
indestructible with second surface printing.
A cost effective solution over alternative
decorating techniques.
Changing legends / languages / graphics is
very easy by simply changing the printing.

Disadvantages:
Time to market issues with necessary
developmental iterations.
Some graphics such as concentric circles,
long lines and parallel lines should be
avoided because of the unavoidable
distortion induced by the IMD process.

Keytops, Buttons and Key Pads

Some shape limitations.

For multi-color legends and graphics.

Materials are limited to non V-0 rated Polycarbonate and ABS resins.

For art graphics/decoration

For scratch/abrasion resistance legends and

graphics.

Translucent legends for back lighting.

Panels
For scratch/abrasion resistance legends and
graphics.
For art graphics/decoration.
For multi-color legends and graphics.
Integrating components such as a lens /
window & a panel.

Common Terms

Abrasion Resistance - Ability of a printed image

to withstand wear and tear during handling and
general product usage.
Artwork - Name given to the image to be
transferred to the plastic component during the
decoration process.
Carrier Film - Film material used to temporarily
carry a printed image. The carrier film does
not become part of the finished product and is
discarded during the cutting process.
Cavity side - Term used to describe one half of an
injection mold tool. Generally this side will form
the external surface of the product and is most
often the fixed half of the tool.
Core side - Term used to describe one half of an
injection mold tool. Generally this side will form
the internal
surface of the product and is most
often the moving half of the tool.
Draft Angle - Slight angle introduced on
nominally vertical walls of a molded component to
ease the process of ejection from the mold tool.
Draw Depth/Draw Height - Depth/Height to
which a decorated foil is formed (drawn) prior to
cutting and molding.
Dual Layer construction - See laminated film
construction.
Ejection - The process of pushing a molded
component off of the core side of a mold tool.
Female Tool - Negative impression forming tool
into which a decorated film is pushed to create an
FIM foil.
Film - Raw material onto which the decorative
image is printed in the FIM process. Generally this
will be a polycarbonate type material.
FIM (Film Insert Molding) - IMD process in which
a pre-decorated, pre-formed foil is placed in the
cavity of a molding tool prior to resin injection.
During the molding cycle, the resin and the foil
fuse together.

First Surface Decoration - Components in which

the decorative image is on the outer surface.
Generally such components will be liable to
abrasion and may have additional lacquers
applied to protect them from this.
Flow Direction - The direction of travel of
molding resin during the injection molding
process.
Flow line - Visible defects on molded
components caused by the flow pattern of the
resin during the injection process. In many cases
this feature can be masked by the presence of an
IMD foil.
Foil - Name given to the printed film in the IMD
(FIM) process once it has been decorated, formed
and cut.
Form Tool - Male or female tool used to shape
the flat, decorated film into a 3D foil.
Forming - The process of shaping a flat decorated
film into a three-dimensional format. Often this
process is referred to as thermo-forming since
heat is generally used.
Gate/Gating - The location on a mold tool where
the resin is injected into the cavity to create the
component.
Hardcoat - Lacquer applied to a film or foil to
increase the abrasion resistance. This can be
applied either as a sprayed coating on a 3D
component or as a pre-coating of the film used in
the decoration process. Generally, hard coating
will be an essential requirement with first surface
decorated parts.
Height to Space Ratio - Ratio used to specify the
required distance between adjacent raised areas
on a formed foil. Particularly important in the
design of IMD keypads where it governs the pitch
between adjacent keys depending on the height
of the key.

Common Terms

HPF (High Pressure Forming) - Forming

technology in which flat films are converted into
3D foils using a combination of heat and high
pressure air in a sealed chamber.

Post-Molding - Operation carried out on

completed moldings to complete the production
process. Can include, de-gating, de-flashing and
several decoration techniques.

Hydro forming - Forming technology in which

flat films are converted into 3D foils using a liquid
in a sealed bladder.

Profile Tool - 3D cutting tool used to stamp out

3D formed films into foils suitable for insertion
into the injection mold tool.

Injection Molding - The process of injection

molten plastic resin into the cavity of a mold tool
to create 3D plastic components.

Registration - The process of controlling the

position of the printed image (decoration) on the
completed plastic component.

Insert Molding - The inclusion of additional

components during the plastic injection molding
process. Typically used to produce moldings with
mechanical components such as threaded metal
bosses. Film Insert Molding is a variant of this
process.

Second Surface Decoration - Components

in which the decorative image is on the inner
surface of a layer of plastic material. Such
components are more difficult to manufacture
than first surface types but have far superior
abrasion resistance.

Image - Term used to describe the decoration,

graphics or legend to be applied to a plastic
component. See also artwork.

Solvent based ink - Thermally curing (drying) ink

used in the decoration process.

IMD (InMold Decoration) - Catchall term used to

describe any one of a number of processes used
to decorate plastic products during the injection
molding cycle.

Substrate - Term used by the printing industry to

describe the material onto which the images are
printed.
Surface Finish - The level of texture, or polish, on
the surface of a plastic component. This can be
controlled by the texture on the mold tool, and/or
the texture on any foil used in the IMD process.

IML (InMold Labeling) - IMD process in which

a flat (2D) decorated foil is placed in the cavity
of a molding tool prior to resin injection.
Generally this process is used where the finished
component is flat or only slighted shaped. It can
also be used to decorate flat localized areas on a
product.

UV Cured Ink - Ink used in the decoration

process which is cured (dried) using UV light.

Ink Blow/Ink Wash - Defect in IMD components

in which a portion of the image is distorted or
displaced during the injection molding process.

Vacuum Forming - Well established

thermoforming technique in which a heated film
is drawn down onto a forming tool.

Male Tool - Positive impression forming tool over

which a decorated film is shaped to create an FIM
foil.

Wall Thickness - The nominal wall thickness of a

molded plastic component.

Parting Line - The point on a molding tool at

which the core and cavity halves of the tool meet.

Weld line - Cosmetic defect on a molded plastic

component caused by the coming together of
different mold flow fronts.

Thermoforming - The process used to convert

flat 2D decorated films, into 3D foils.

Featuring ADVANCED INPUT, MEMTRON, and LRE MEDICAL Products

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