In-mold electronics (IME) are an excellent example of how printed electronics can be used to create a better solution for a product. By creating a printed electronic item and thermoforming it, the product has enhanced capabilities and can be used in a variety of end-uses.

La Crosse, WI-based DuraTech Industries Inc. has recently seen its first commercial production of IME. A high-quality custom label printing services specialist, DuraTech developed an industrial controller featuring an enhanced interface for easier programming and readability with a smooth touch keypad, replacing legacy rubber buttons.

“DuraTech is one of the first companies worldwide in production of this exciting new technology that embeds the circuits between layers of plastic to protect them from the environment, reduce weight and size while improving reliability,” Paul Hatlem, DuraTech’s sales manager, noted.

“In-mold electronics is an exciting technology that combines screenprinting functional inks and injection molding. It has all of the benefits of in-mold decorating (IMD) with the addition of printed, conductive inks – creating a unique solution for user experiences,” Hatlem added.

DuraTech started out in a garage in 1977 in a rural Wisconsin town, printing graphic labels for local and regional businesses. Today, DuraTech employs 400 people at three printing facilities – two in the US, one in China – and numerous warehouses worldwide to support its customers.

Hatlem said that DuraTech China was the company’s first facility to start printing functional inks, primarily for membrane switches, to fulfill the demand of their local customers.

“Our US customers were also looking for on-shore switch manufacturers so our China engineers transferred a lot of knowledge to our US team,” Hatlem added. “After gaining the engineering and production experience, we were able to leverage that knowledge with our injection molding knowledge into new technologies areas such as IME.”

Steve Roellich, DuraTech’s printed electronics development engineer, said that when it comes to problems that customers are trying to solve with IME, every customer is different.

“Each customer has their own problems that they are trying to solve,” Roellich observed. “We look to provide the customer options for new product development that will help differentiate their user interface from their competitors. Since we can mold in the electronics we can provide the customer with 3D user interfaces using cost-efficient manufacturing techniques. We also look to reduce the overall bill of materials (BOM) for the customer in terms of physical components and assembly labor.”

There are many advantages to IME. “Essentially, IME embeds electronic circuits between layers of plastic to protect them from the environment, reduce product weight and size while improving reliability,” Roellich said, adding that time and cost have been the biggest challenges for some of its IME projects.

“We’ve been able to engineer IME solutions for almost every project we’ve been presented with, but the lead time for development has been an issue with customers,” he added. “The initial startup cost is higher as well due to the additional forming and trimming tooling required.”

All in all, DuraTech sees tremendous potential for in-mold electronics.

“The IME market is wide and untapped,” Hatlem said. “The ability to make 3D smart shapes that are lighter, thinner, has no moving parts to wear out and potentially reduce manufacturing costs are very key features for many markets such as automotive, appliance, medical device, OEMs and anyone that need ‘solid-state’ user interfaces.”

“Because plastic parts and electronics are used in just about every industry, the sky’s the limit,” Roellich concluded. “Automotive – of course. Medical device? Absolutely. Appliances? Yes. OEM, you bet. A racquetball paddle? Why not? A frisbee golf disk? We can encapsulate IME there, too. If an industry uses plastic parts and electronics, IME can lend itself to it.”