State-of-the-art IML manufacturer Serigraph partners with LITEONMOBILE
In-mould-labeling (IML) is a method of plastic decoration where screen-printed labels are placed into the molding process to create seamless one piece product. IML enables a variety of good-looking, haptic, informative or functional effects – all in just one process step.
LITEONMOBILE and Serigraph Inc, a world renowned market leader in screen and offset printing on plastics, have created a unique set-up that combines IML and moulding under the same roof at Perlos' manufacturing plant in Guangzhou, China. The result is a highly efficient process that opens up totally new opportunities for mobile device decoration.
Look AND feel
Plastics Product Manager Sami Karppinen has been busy presenting IML applications. Selective IML effect is both visible and haptic.
As a purely visual element, light can be used to create figures or patterns on the cover of the handheld device and highlight its shapes.
The close co-operation between LITEONMOBILE's product platforms experts and Serigraph's innovative Research & Development team has created several interesting new technologies for mobile device decoration. For instance, IML foil with a ceramic-like surface has the look and feel of a real ceramic material. With IML it is also possible to create a textured surface with a distinct visual and haptic pattern, which can also be combined with a dazzling rainbow effect of changing colour.
An impressive effect can also be obtained by printing the foils selectively: this enables two or more effects to blend seamlessly on to one solid part. For instance, combining a Soft Touch and a High Gloss surface gives a varied surface appearance that is both very attractive and pleasing to the touch.
IML is in many ways comparable to painting. However, in addition to colour and decorative effects, IML can also add graphics and logos to the surface of the molded component. As all the elements can be processed in one step, there is no need for post mold treatments.
Partnership without limits
Serigraph's story began back in 1949. Today, the company employs over 1,500 people in its global operations the U.S., Mexico, China and India. Serigraph serves multi-national organizations all over the world.
What makes Serigraph unique in the market is its strong R&D capability. Continuous investments in exploring new trends and technologies has given the company a cutting-edge advantage that is hard to beat.
LITEONMOBILE provided Serigraph with premises inside Perlos's Guangzhou factory in Southern China. Incorporating the Serigraph set-up into Perlos' lean manufacturing environment with its well-established efficiency, quality and continuous improvement principles means in practice very low inventories or even no inventory at all, seamless transition between printing and injection moulding, and immediate feedback and flow of information between manufacturing processes. This in turn enhances yield and uptime in manufacturing, improves overall quality, eliminates external logistics and reduces overall product cost.
Another strategic advantage of the co-operation is that the manufacturing set-up Serigraph has created is easy to scale up for volume demand or copy to another LITEONMOBILE location when needed.