In-Mould Decoration

In-Mould Decoration (IMD ) refers to a special form of decorating plastic parts with a colored and abrasion resistant coating.

The most common practice in the form of decoration are thin foils that are applied to a pointed molded base ( in-mold labeling).

Principle

A carrier film having the design to be transferred is placed in the opened mold. The design shows towards the opening of the mold. While the mold is filled with plastic, the color adhered to the cast parts and will be replaced when the mold is opened by the sheet. The coated part can now be removed.

For the next round, the film with the motive must be renewed.

Construction of the mold

The mold must be designed so that the film is resting on a flat surface. They can indeed be a little bent, but the more it deviates from the plane, the higher the risk of errors.

The filling of the mold must always be set up so that it can be performed from the opposite side.

To make the process more effective, it would be suitable in some cases to use a conveyor for automatic supply of fresh sheets and discharge of use foils.

To remove remnants of color, especially at the edges of the coated surfaces, rotating brushes are often used.

Films

For decoration, high-quality, abrasion- resistant films are used, which have to fit exactly on the object to be decorated 3D to 2D geometry. The sheets are printed graphically or photorealistic. With an attractive design of the subject (eg, with water sprayed strawberries in the photo) to the product freshness suggest and appeal to consumers on the retail shelf. Latest films come on the market that can play gold or silver tones realistic.

Automation

Since there is an injection from the in - mold labeling is done introducing the decorative material by means of an automation system for the supply of the labels and the removal of the decorated moldings. The cycle speed is dependent on the size of the injection molded parts. In so-called thin-wall products ( thin-wall technology ), such as a Magarinebecherdeckel, cycle speeds of just over 3 sec can be achieved.

For use are 2 -, 4 - or 6- Kavitätenwerkzeuge.

Very important for the smooth injection process, the nuclei of Automation, ie the recording geometries for the moldings.

Increasingly used for quality assurance and camera inspection systems are used that detect the fit of Labels per cavity on the body and possibly ejecting OK parts.

Areas of application

The in- mold labeling Vera Hren (IML ) is used for different applications:

  • Food containers (eg for ice cream, cream cheese or margarine)
  • Food bottles and mugs
  • Media container from the hardware store
  • Containers for detergent additives
  • Cosmetic containers.
  • Special injection molding
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