What is IMD IML?

The difference between IMD, IML, IMR, IMF IMD's Chinese name: injection molding exterior decoration technology, IMD (In-Mole Decoratiom), IMD is now an internationally popular exterior decoration technology, mainly used in the exterior decoration and functional panels of home appliances. It is commonly used on exterior parts such as mobile phone window lenses and casings, washing machine control panels, refrigerator control panels, air conditioning control panels, automobile dashboards, rice cooker control panels, and other appearance parts.

IMD is divided into IML and IMR. The biggest difference between the two processes is whether there is a transparent protective film on the surface of the product.

The Chinese name of IML: In-mold injection molding. The obvious characteristics of the process are: the outer surface is a layer of hardened transparent film, the center is the printing layer, and the reverse is the plastic layer. Because the ink is sandwiched in the center, the product can be made It can prevent the appearance from being scratched and abrasion-resistant, and can keep the color vivid and not easy to fade for a long time.

The Chinese name of IMR: In-mold transfer

This process is to print the picture on the film, and the film is attached to the mold cavity through the film feeder for injection molding. After injection molding, the ink layer with the picture is separated from the film, and the ink layer is left on the plastic part to obtain the appearance Plastic parts with decorative pictures do not have a transparent protective film on the surface of the final product. The film is only a carrier in the production process. But the advantage of IMR lies in the high degree of automation during production and the low cost of mass production. Defects of IMR: The printed image layer is only a few microns thick on the product's surface. After the product is used for a period of time, the printed image layer will easily be worn away, and it is also easy to fade, resulting in an unsightly appearance. In addition, the long development cycle of new products, high development costs, and the inability to achieve small-batch sensitive changes in the color of the picture are also shortcomings that the IMR process cannot overcome.