Hot stamping is rapidly becoming the most popular method for decorating both interior and exterior plastic surfaces in a wide range of industries. Its flexibility makes it the number one technology for decorating plastics and the excellent surface quality as well as well as the different design effects it permits, means that the hot stamping technique is perfectly suited to the mass production process. The international automotive market has been heavily influenced by the success of hot stamping foil technology worldwide.
Hot stamping technologies can be divided into three types that follow the same principle of transferring a lacquer package from a carrier onto a part by combining heat and pressure. On account of different part shapes, a variety of processes have been developed to transfer the traditional coating package to more complex shapes than may be decorated by conventional hot stamping. These processes are called In Mould Decoration (IMD) and Insert Moulding (INS), which combine the decoration process with the manufacturing of the part itself.
Potential applications
High quality interiors and exteriors are commonly used to create a distinctive look, draw customer’s attention and gain a share in the automotive market. Consequently, hot stamping is gaining increasing acceptance in such applications as interior door and IP trims that are typically decorated with a wood grain or aluminum finish. But these applications are only a part of what is technically possible and economically reasonable. Scuff plates, air vents, armrests, whole consoles, chrome strips and engine cover emblems are all candidates for state-of-the-art hot stamping. This technology has long been employed by most leading car manufacturers including BMW, Mercedes Benz, VW, Ford, Toyota and Audi.
Depending upon the shape and the geometry of the part, conventional hot stamping is performed using either vertical or roll on stamping. In both cases, a molded part is initially positioned in a fixture. A stamping die or heated wheel then transfers the lacquer package onto the part surface. Different designs are offered as standard products and associated machinery and stamping tools are readily available. The most common applications of hot stamping in the automotive market are radiator grills, chrome strips, engine cover emblem logos as well as buttons and than 90 per cent of jobs are done in chrome because there is a significant cost advantage when compated to electro plating.
A streamlined process
IMD is an innovative concept because it combines the decorating process with producing the plastic part without using any preformed material. A special hot stamping foil is fed through an injection mold and the heat of the resin combined with pressure transfers the lacquer package onto the part. The foil can be positioned with great accuracy so that single picture decors can also be produced. When the mold opens, the finished part is ejected from the tool and no additional work steps are needed.
As only one process is needed to create the complete part, there is great potential for cost saving. An additional benefit is the quick and easy design changes that the process allows. Shot after shot the operator only has to change the foil to create a totally different look. This technique satisfies the stringent demands of the automotive industry as it is quick,flexible and cost efficient.
Although these advantages have made the stamping method the process of choice, there are some part shapes that simply cannot be decorated in this manner due to foil stretch considerations. Insert Moulding is therefore used for molding parts that have deep draw profiles. Foil is laminated or hot stamped onto ABS with a typical thickness of 0.5mm.
With thermoforming machines, the roll or sheet fed material formed into its 3D shape by using the vacuum or high pressure forming process. Afterwards, the formed sheets are trimmed accurately. The insert is positioned in the injection mold and formed with a standard injection moulding machine.
Using the most suitable foil based solution, the best optical appearance combined with outstanding cost efficiency can be achieved. There is a solution for virtually any king of interior or exterior parts. Foil technology is perfect for mass producing parts where tooling costs are effectively amortized over the life of the project. Stamping technology combines cost effectiveness with a superior surface quality within the confines of an environmentally friendly production process.
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热烫印正在迅速成为一种广受欢迎的技术，用天装饰各行业的内外部塑料表面。热烫印技术使用灵活，这一特性使之成为了装饰塑料最好的技术。同时，此技术可以提供卓越的表面质量和多样的设计效果，非常适合大规模的生产工艺。风靡世界的烫印箔技术已经深深影响了国际汽车市场。
热烫印技术可分为三种，这三种技术都遵循相同的原则，即通过加温加压，将漆膜包装从载体转印到部件表面上。由于部件的形状各不相同，人们已经开发出多种不同的工艺，将传统的涂层包装转变为更复杂的形状，而不仅仅是通过传统热烫印进行装饰。这些工艺被称为模内装饰（IMD）和镶嵌注塑（INS），它们将装饰工艺与部件本身的制造融为一体。
潜在应用
通常将优质的内外装饰用于创造独特的外观，来吸引客户的注意，以便在汽车市场上争取份额。因此，热烫印在一些应用中越来越受青睐，如通常采用木材纹理或铝材装饰的室内门和内部饰件，但是这些应用只能用于部分技术可行、经济合理的应用当中。防擦板、通风口、扶手、整个控制台、镀铬饰条和发动机盖徽标都是可以选择采用现代热烫印技术的应用领域。宝马、梅赛德斯－奔驰、大众、福特、丰田、奥迪等许多领先的汽车制造商长久以来一直都在使用这项技术。
根据不同的部件形状和几何形状，传统热烫印采用垂直烫印或滚动烫印。在这两种情况中，首先将模制品固定在夹紧装置的适当位置，然后用压印模或热滚轮将漆膜包装转印到部件表面上。将不同的设计作为标准产品在市场上出售，而相关的机器和冲压工具也可以在市场上找到。热烫印在汽车市场中最普通的应用是散热器护栅、镀铬饰条、发动机盖徽标以及按钮和开关等。因为与电镀相比，铬具有很大的成本优势，所以90%以上的工作用铬来完成。
流水线工艺
模内装饰是一种创新理念，它将装饰工艺和塑料部件的生产工艺融为一体，且无需要使用其他预成型材料。专用烫印箔由一个注模供料，通过树脂加温压力，将漆膜包装转印到部件上。箔的位置可以准确定位，因此还可以制造单图装饰。当模型打开，加工制成的部件就会从工具中弹出，而无需其他额外工作步骤。
制造成品部件只用一道工艺流程，因此可以大大节约成本。另一个优点是，可以快捷方便地更改、设计此工艺。操作者每次只需更换箔片就可以制造出完全不同的效果。该技术快捷灵活、经济高效，可以满足汽车行业的迫切需求。
尽管这些优点促使烫印方法成为了一种工艺选择，但是，考虑到箔片伸展性还有一些部件形状时还是不能采用这种方法进行装饰。因此，对于带有深冲压图形的模型部件，需要使用镶嵌注塑。防抱死制动系统上的箔片经过碾压或热烫印后，其标准厚度只有0.5mm。
利用热成型机并采用真空或高压成型片材。将嵌件固定在注模内的适当位置，并用标准注模机使其成型。
采用最适合的箔片解决方案，既经济高效，又可以达到最好的视觉效果。实际上，这是一咱适合各种内外部部件的解决方案。箔片技术是大规模生产部件的最佳方案，在这一方案中，模具制造成本已随项目的使用寿命进行了有效分摊。在环保生产工艺范围内，热烫印技术既经济高效，又能提供高质量的表面。
