DuPont Microcircuit Materials has launched a suite of in-mold electronic inks designed to help streamline electronic devices by reducing the need for rigid circuit boards. By printing circuits directly onto plastic substrates, touch controls, such as electronic buttons, switches and slides, are readily integrated in applications such as home appliances and automobiles. The inks offer important design, manufacturing, weight and cost advantages.

“In-mold electronics can simplify structures significantly while opening the door for more creative design possibilities since designers are no longer restricted to the shapes and form factors of printed circuit boards,” says John Voultos, segment manager, DuPont Microcircuit Materials. “These new inks will enable more beautiful appliances and lighter vehicles.”

The new DuPontT ME series in-mold electronic inks are designed to withstand demanding manufacturing processes such as thermoforming and injection molding. They also simplify the assembly process because there is only a single connection point and no wires behind the console. This can reduce the weight of a console by more than 70%. In addition to increased design freedom and lighter weight, the technology can reduce cost by up to 50% compared to currently available buttons and up to 20% versus other electronic touch switch systems.

To help simplify implementation of the technology, DuPont is also launching a compatibility database that contains in-use testing and reliability data of DuPont’s in-mold electronic inks when used with industry-leading films and graphic inks.