The advantages of IMD in-mold decoration
⒈Scratch resistance, strong corrosion resistance and long service life.
⒉Good three-dimensional feeling.
⒊Dust-proof, moisture-proof and anti-deformation ability is strong.
⒋The color can be changed at will, and the pattern can be changed at will.
IMD technology can save the cost of reprocessing, which is very tempting to the automotive industry. GE Plastics’ lexan SLX (a polycarbonate copolymer) body parts production manager Venkata-krishnan Umamaheswaran said: “The most expensive thing in a car is paint. The paint production line is the largest investment in the car assembly workshop, which will occupy half of the workshop. On the ground, more than 1,500 tons of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) will be generated within a year."
The advantages of imd technology also include: low scrap yield; parts forming and decoration can be completed at the same place; better recyclability. IMD technology can obtain A-level surface without flow marks, and will not cause "in-mold color retention" like flow marks. But if the part itself has many holes and must be decorated after demoulding, the economic benefits of IMD technology will be greatly reduced.
Advocates of IMD technology claim that the body panels made of the latest generation of moldable films have or even higher scratch resistance and impact resistance comparable to painted metal panels. However, assuming that automakers are still investing heavily in the painting production line, IMD still has no hope of completely replacing the painting process today. However, industry observers believe that in the United States, even if there is investment in the future, the construction of large-scale paint production lines will rarely occur.
