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<p>In-Mould Electronics (IME) integrates printed electronics into the injection moulding process to produce plastic components that eliminate the need for conventional mechanical buttons. This approach reduces system complexity, weight, and assembly requirements, while minimizing material use. IME comprises three key stages: in a first phase, printing electronic circuits onto a thermoplastic film, followed by thermoforming of the film and, finally, overmoulding of the printed and thermoformed film. In this work, the influence of processing conditions on the functionality of a tactile switch light was evaluated. Morphological, surface, optical, and electrical characterizations were conducted at each processing stage to evaluate layer integrity, interfacial behavior, and electrical stability. Results show that substrate roughness, ink formulation, and forming conditions significantly affect conductive track uniformity and electrical resistance. Optimized thermoforming and injection conditions enabled the production of functional IME switches, although sensitivity variations among users highlight the need for further sensor optimization.</p>

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Effect of process steps on the performance of a tactile switch light manufactured via in-mould electronics

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月24日

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  • Catarina Faria,
  • Sílvia Cruz,
  • Diana Dias,
  • Cátia Araújo,
  • Eduardo Oliveira,
  • Hugo Gomes,
  • Emanuel Silva,
  • Carlos Ribeiro,
  • Júlio C. Viana

摘要

In-Mould Electronics (IME) integrates printed electronics into the injection moulding process to produce plastic components that eliminate the need for conventional mechanical buttons. This approach reduces system complexity, weight, and assembly requirements, while minimizing material use. IME comprises three key stages: in a first phase, printing electronic circuits onto a thermoplastic film, followed by thermoforming of the film and, finally, overmoulding of the printed and thermoformed film. In this work, the influence of processing conditions on the functionality of a tactile switch light was evaluated. Morphological, surface, optical, and electrical characterizations were conducted at each processing stage to evaluate layer integrity, interfacial behavior, and electrical stability. Results show that substrate roughness, ink formulation, and forming conditions significantly affect conductive track uniformity and electrical resistance. Optimized thermoforming and injection conditions enabled the production of functional IME switches, although sensitivity variations among users highlight the need for further sensor optimization.