Advantages of Lorika's PMMA high-performance film in INS technology for automotive interiors (2)

Currently, there are four main processesfor surface decoration of automotive interiors: IMD technology, INStechnology, IML technology, and TOM (OMF, OMR) technology

INS technology currently dominatesapproximately half of the market share of automotive interior surfacetreatment.

IMD technology is mainly used in Germancars, accounting for about 16% of the overall market.

IML technology is mainly used ininterior parts that require precise positioning, and the overall market shareis relatively small.

TOM (OMD, OMF) technology is mainly usedin Japan and is gradually being explored and discussed in China.

INS Technology Introduction

INS(film insert molding) technology is also known as filminsert molding or in-mold decorating (IMD) technology. It mainly involves athree-step process of high-pressure preforming, cutting, and injection molding. INS technology offers several advantages:

- Achieving more complex workpieceshapes

- Smaller deformation of regularpatterns

- Capability to achieve certain tactileand wood-like effects

- Mostly used in combination with ABSfor automotive decoration

- Not restricted to adhesive agents

- Currently, INS technology is lesscommonly used in decorative pieces outside the automotive industry.

INS process flow

IMF (film insert Film) technology for INS in-mold film molding

INS, also known as film insert injection molding technology, utilizes thermoforming or high-pressure molding to stretch transfer-printed ABS sheets (usually 0.5mm thick) three-dimensionally, then cut them into inserts according to the product shape, and precisely place them in the injection mold cavity for injection molding.

Structure of INS decorative film

INS decorative films mainly consist offunctional coatings, base layer, decorative layer, adhesive layer, and ABSplate layer. The material for INS decorative film layers is mainly PMMA.

The performance requirements for INSdecorative films include:

- Protection of base layer by functionalfilm coating while achieving a certain surface tactile effect

- Functional coating should be strongand have good tensile properties, usually using second-curing coatings.

- PMMA has high surface hardness, andsome applications may not require a functional coating

- Air-drying or primer treatment of bothsides of the base layer enhances adhesion to the functional and decorativelayers

- The decorative layer can be a singlelayer or a multi-layer of ink or coating structures to achieve internal textureor metallic texture effects

- ABS plate layer should have certainforming and stretching properties.

Summary of INS Process Advantages:

√Personalized Customization

Traditional paint spraying techniques can only achieve monotonous colors, such as leather patterns and piano paint. INS film provides a wide range of surface patterns for automotive interiors, such as wood grain, brushed metal, stone texture, carbon fiber, and other geometric patterns, and can achieve certain tactile effects.

√Environmentally Friendly

As the INS process uses intaglio to wrap ink and other coatings originally used on plastic surfaces between the film and plastic particles, ink odours and gases are not easily released, making a significant contribution to the whole vehicle VOC experiment.

√Achieve Complex Work piece Shapes

INS has good stretchability, with small deformation in regular patterns, and can bend and attach to the reverse hooks and other areas as well as cover them.

√Durability and Weatherability

The INS film surface is hardened to improve the protection of the pattern texture, with no paint peeling or other defects, resulting in a durable finish that enhances the quality and level of the interior.

Lorika, the domestic market leader inthe ASA/PMMA high-performance film field, has gradually developed in the fieldof extruded films for plastic substrates such as PC and ABS. In the first halfof 2022, they made targeted material and process research and development forthe materials required in the automotive interior industry. The factoryequipment transformation and expansion work has progressed smoothly, and theycurrently have the production capacity of INS/OMF basic film for automotiveinteriors. Moreover, Lorika is a reliable quality supplier in the fields ofbuilding film-coated steel plates, colored weather-resistant window films, andhigh-end automotive power battery insulation film sheets.