When it comes to the IMD and OMD series of surface decoration processes, many designers and friends who have just entered the industry can’t tell the difference. What are the processes such as IMD, IMR, IMT, IME, OMD, OMF? In what fields are it applied? Today we will learn more.
IMD (IML, IMR, IMF)
IMD is also known as the mold decoration process. The printed film is placed into the mold in different forms. After injection molding, a molded product with a printing texture is obtained, and a process technology is integrated with product design, mold technology and traditional post-processing technology.
IMD is an internationally popular surface decoration technology, mainly used in the surface decoration and functional panels of home appliances. It is often used in panels, logos and other appearance parts in various fields such as mobile phone window lenses and shells, washing machine control panels, refrigerator control panels, air conditioning control panels, car dashboards, and rice cooker control panels.
Conceptually speaking, IMD includes IML, IMF, and IMR, which are the general terms of their three processes. However, many domestic industry insiders call IML independent of IMD and call IMR the IMD process. Since IML is consistent with IMF process, it is classified into two categories: IMD/IMR, IML/IMF.
The main reason is that due to the differences between IML and IMR on the lens surface, there is PET or PC sheet on the IML surface, while the IMR surface only has ink.
IML: IN MOLDING LABEL (printing glue and plastic combined)
The surface is a hardened transparent film, the middle is a printing pattern layer, and the back is a plastic layer, the ink is sandwiched in the middle
Process flow: Cutting material → Flat printing → Ink drying and fixing → Paste the protective film → Punching the positioning hole → Thermoforming → Cutting the peripheral shape → Material injection molding
IMF: IN MOLDING FILM (around the same as IML)
is suitable for high-stretch products, 3D product
IMR: IN MOLDING ROLLER
Focus on the release layer on the glue. PET FILM→Print release agent→Print ink→Print follower→Plastic injection→Inner plastic injection→Ink and plastic follower→The glue will automatically release from the ink after opening the mold. Also known as in-mold transfer.
IMTh
IMT (Inner Molding Translate label) or (Insert Molding Three-dimensional)
is a new process formed by the combination and extension of in-mold insert injection molding (IML: In-Mold Label) technology and in-mold transfer (IMR: In-mold Roller) technology. Currently, IMT technology is used in mobile phone plastic shells.
IMT process brings together the advantages of a variety of decoration processes, adopts the advantages of IML process in FILM production, absorbs the advantages of injection molding into in-mold transfer, combines digital printing and crepe printing effects with traditional screen printing technology, making the IMT process highly applicable and widely used, making up for the limitations of traditional appearance decoration technology, and meeting the high-level innovation requirements of product appearance decoration. 3D three-dimensional effect and product stretching satisfy more product in-mold decorative processes. The emergence of
IMT process will replace the current industry's processes such as fuel injection, UV hood, electroplating, vacuum color plating, silk printing, pad printing and transfer printing, and will drive leapfrog innovation in the product appearance industry, realizing the appearance decorative effect of irregular products such as three-dimensional, color gradient, and R angle, while providing better innovation and platform implementation for the appearance process design industry.
IMT process mainly includes mold opening, printing, hot pressing, film punching, in-mold injection molding, etc. Please see the figure below for details.
IME
In order to adapt to the current automobile de-keying, better human-vehicle interaction and blind operation, printing electronic technology and IMD is integrated, high-performance electronic paste is printed on IMD film, and circuits, touch, antennas, LEDs, ICs, etc. are concentrated in one component, with a 3D shape, with a thickness of only 2 mm. It further expands the design freedom, saves assembly time and cost, and makes the product smaller and thinner. This has resulted in a new process: 3D IME (3D In-Mold Electronics), which is a three-dimensional in-mode electronic process. IME is the next step of the IMD process.
3D IME is used in new energy vehicles, aircraft, home appliances, consumer electronics and other industries, and is a key technology for "smart skin" or "electronic skin".
3D IME technology is an innovative process developed on the basis of IMD and stereo circuit technology. It is a thin film surface decoration technology of exposed "stereo-dimensional circuits". Therefore, plastic products give electronic functions, and plastic and electronic components are inseparable from 3D MID technology (three-dimensional molding). It is currently a hot technology in automotive interiors. Automobile manufacturers use this to improve the level of products.
OMD (OMR, OMF)
OMD is the mold exterior decoration process, which is an appearance decoration process extended by IMD. It is a 3D surface decoration technology combining printing, texture structure and metallization characteristics. The appearance can achieve the effect of imitating metal brushed, imitating native wood grain, leather, spray coating, stone grain and other effects. It can complete the three-dimensional and large-height 3D curved surface product form.
mainly includes two types of
extension IMD/IMR technologies: IMR's out-side, OMR technology
extension IML/IMF technology: film direct forming the workpiece, OMF technology
The principle of the OMR process is similar to OMF, the difference is that the OMR process will eventually peel off, leaving only the color layer on the workpiece.
OMR process features
Advantages: The base material is not limited, it can be metal or plastic, it can realize 3D shape, and it can realize the wrapping internal structure (inverted molding) and multiple processing of smaller products at one time.
Disadvantages: The equipment investment is high and complex 3D modeling cannot be achieved.
OMR process application
In the mobile phone field, OMR process application is currently relatively rare, and it is mainly used in automotive interior parts.
OMF (Forming Film) covers film material, and the outer layer of the workpiece is covered with material to protect the product. OMF only opens the general injection mold and does not need to open high-pressure molds or punching molds, which greatly reduces mold costs and increases customer development intentions. The coatable products are the same as those of OMR, and are mostly used in high-quality automotive interior devices, decorations of aviation and transportation vehicles, 3C and medical equipment.
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