In-mould decoration, a special type of plastic

Plastic

A plastic material is any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids used in the manufacture of industrial products. Plastics are typically polymers of high molecular mass, and may contain other substances to improve performance and/or reduce production costs...

 moulding

Molding (decorative)

Molding or moulding is a strip of material with various profiles used to cover transitions between surfaces or for decoration. It is traditionally made from solid milled wood or plaster but may be made from plastic or reformed wood...

, is used for decorating plastic surfaces with color and/or with an abrasion resistant coat.

Principle

A carrier foil is placed inside the opened mould. It carries the dried paint

Paint

Paint is any liquid, liquefiable, or mastic composition which after application to a substrate in a thin layer is converted to an opaque solid film. One may also consider the digital mimicry thereof...

 layers which are to be transferred to the plastic part, with the paint facing the gate. After filling with plastic the paint adheres to the plastic, and is removed from the carrier when opening the mould. For the next cycle the carrier foil is advanced, positioning the next area to be transferred.

Mould construction

The mould must be constructed so that the back side of the carrier foil rests against a flat wall. The plastic foil can be bent slightly, but the more it is bent, the greater the risk of wrinkles. The filling only takes place on the other side, the side the of carrier with the material to be transferred. The part has to stay on the side of the gate (= ejectors on gate side). The tips of the ejectors are usually bent slightly to ensure the parts stick to them)

Carrier foil feeder

To place the carrier quickly in the mould, the carrier foil is wound on a coil

Coil

A coil is a series of loops. A coiled coil is a structure in which the coil itself is in turn also looping.-Electromagnetic coils:An electromagnetic coil is formed when a conductor is wound around a core or form to create an inductor or electromagnet...

. The full supply roll is above the mould, and the take-up roll beneath. Usually the foil feeder is attached to the moving side of the mould, to enable demoulding when opening the mould.

Cleaning of the parts

Remnants from the paint ("flakes") must be removed from the parts. This is usually done by rotating brushes.

See also

In-Mold Decoration by Roller (IMR)

In-mould labelling

In-mould labelling

In-mould labelling is the use of paper or plastic labels during the manufacturing of containers by blow molding, injection molding, or thermoforming processes. The label serves as the integral part of the final product, which is then delivered as pre-decorated item. Combining the decoration...