Rosti
In-Mold Decoration – IMD
Rosti’s In-Mold Decoration solutions combine advanced materials, precision molding, and high-quality graphics to create durable, visually premium plastic components.
Our IMD process integrates decorative films directly into the molding cycle, achieving consistent surface finishes, excellent scratch and chemical resistance, and full design freedom for complex geometries. From automotive HMI panels and consumer electronics to industrial equipment, we deliver scalable and repeatable IMD manufacturing supported by end-to-end engineering, tooling, and global production expertise.
Tony Austin
European Technical Director
Through continual refinement of in-mold films and processes, we’ve achieved an IMD technique that offers high-precision and cost-effectiveness, available at various global sites. The Rosti method not only streamlines your production process but also reduces operational costs, all while maintaining superior image quality.
Engineering Innovation in IMD
Our dedication to pushing the boundaries of IMD has led to groundbreaking collaborations with customers and suppliers, delivering solutions previously considered impossible, including challenges involving geometric ratios.
Rosti China successfully implemented a new in-mold decoration (IMD) manufacturing cell for a long-standing customer, introducing an enhanced level of cosmetic design beyond what conventional painting or plating processes can offer. Traditionally suitable for flat geometries, IMD posed unique challenges for the complex 3D components in focus, with an impressive stretch ratio exceeding 45%.
Our approach involved rigorous risk assessment and potential failure mode analysis, treating the initiative as a distinct technical development project separate from the mainstream new product introduction programs. We navigated challenges related to stretch ratio, resin, and part flow length.
Critical factors included:
- Stretch ratio: The significant increase in part profile compared to the flat foil.
- Resin: The optimal condition involves slow and cool entry to minimize ink defects at the gate location.
- Flow length: The optimal ratio of the component wall section against the length from gate to end of fill should be as short as possible to maintain a uniform temperature and pressure gradient.
- Solutions were achieved by harnessing the collective expertise of our partners, including resin, equipment, and decoration foil suppliers. We leveraged digital simulation and analysis to tackle critical-to-quality items, optimizing the development cycle to ensure cost-effectiveness and speed to market.
Stretch ratio complexities were addressed by analyzing high and low stretch areas in our part’s three-dimensional curves. Resin, a high-temperature engineering polymer (Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) + glass fiber content), was optimized through Rosti’s advanced injection mold flow simulation capability. The thin wall geometry and resin combination resulted in high injection temperatures and pressures, which were mitigated by Rosti’s digital analysis expertise.
Following extensive digital development and scenario analysis, Rosti confidently transitioned to physical tooling and development. From launching steel tooling to having proof of concept and a production part process approved took less than three months. This remarkable timeline was possible due to a deep understanding of process challenges, robust simulation models, and commitment to innovation, perfectly illustrating Rosti’s ‘concept to reality’ philosophy.
