Solid colors, woodgrains, brushed metal, or bright chrome. Glossy, matte, or
textured. Plastic parts are coming out of the mold with every kind of feel and
finish. In-mold decorating with formable films is branching out rapidly as manufacturers seek lower-cost and environmentally friendly alternatives to paint and other secondary processes. Already established in auto interior trim and hand-held electronics, the new frontiers for IMD are large automotive parts and home appliances. As the following three articles reveal, IMD is not just for injection molding any more—its moving fast into thermoforming and composites.
Where the Action Is: Decorating with Formable Films
Tips for Injection Molders: IMD Tooling & Robotics
Thermoforming Goes Paint-Free, Too...

| Safety helmet from Crescent Safety Technologies gets its stars and stripes from a printed Makrofol PC film back-molded with Makroblend PC/PBT blend. (Photo: Bayer)
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