INS vs IML for Automotive Parts: How to Choose
INS vs IML for automotive trim: materials, printing, backlighting and graphic options compared; IML uses in car trim strips, gear panels and dashboards; and why IMD PET panel keys last over a million presses.
INS (film insert molding) is widely used for car interior parts, and many vehicles, especially new-energy vehicles, also use IML (in-mold labeling). How do you choose between them for automotive trim? The key points from the original article are compared below.
INS and IML compared
| Item | INS | IML |
|---|---|---|
| Material and forming | ABS sheet (about 0.5 mm), blow- or high-pressure-formed, trimmed, then molded | PC, PET or PC+PMMA, reverse-printed, hot-press or high-pressure formed, trimmed, then molded |
| Texture / complex shapes | Wide texture choice, good stretch on complex shapes | Wide texture choice, complex shapes feasible |
| Printing and durability | Surface printing only; graphics can wear off | All graphics reverse-printed; do not fade |
| Backlighting | No translucent windows or lighting effects | Local translucent windows and light holes (full or semi-transparent) |
| Graphics | Relatively simple | Rich, multi-color graphics |
| Drawback | — | Requires printing; longer, more complex process |
IML in cars
Interior trim strips, gear-shift panels, door handles, control panels, dashboards and keys. Finishes include plating, wood grain, brushed metal, carbon fiber, matte, composite sheet, ambient lighting and metallic looks. The original article states that IML automotive trim resists heat, deformation and peeling.
Note: why IMD PET panel keys last so long
IMD PET panels (named after their PET film surface) typically reach over one million key presses. The switch is actuated by an elastic film moving vertically through only 0.1–0.3 mm, far below its yield limit; the contacts meet head-on with little wear, and screen-printed contacts can be made thick enough.
Forming: AS201F-G high-pressure gas forming machine; trimming: IMD/IML part die-cutting machine. Full process: IMD/IML thermoforming machines: process and applications.
Adapted from an article published on SANSEN's original Chinese website (sansendg.com) on 2022-08-05. The text was edited and restructured; technical content follows the original.