In-Mould Electronics (IME), also known as plastronics, is used to enhance the device integration process, increasing resistance to humidity and wear and tear, and adding custom-made connectors. IME will also serve as a manufacturing process for the advanced materials with better conductive and resistant properties proposed in the project.
This technology allows to create plastronic products combining electronics’ functional printing and electronic components’ hybridisation with traditional plastic transformation processes, such as thermoforming and injection moulding.
IME brings a wide variety of advantages in comparison to traditional manufacturing processes, like increased functionality or more durable electronics, as they are protected and embedded. It also eases automation, as those conventional processes are replaced with a single part that does not require any assembly during production. Additionally, the complexity of plastic products is reduced, thickness and weight are lowered, and electronics are integrated in products that have geometrically complex 3D shapes.
In Mould Electronics (IME) has been validated as a high-speed and competitive manufacturing methodology, building up on an already established mass production technology as plastic injection.
As a result of the workshop and months of work, a CEN Consortium Workshop Agreement (CWA) has been published to establish best practices for the printing of plastronic devices taking into account the reproducibility, yield, functionality and cost of the In Mould Electronics processing.