5 May 2023

Unravelling Competing In-Mold Electronics Manufacturing Methodologies
Smooth, functional surfaces that provide touch sensing, often with backlighting, are becoming increasingly common. Applications range from vehicle interiors and domestic appliances to medical devices and aircraft seating. Rather than relying on a mechanical or membrane switch, these surfaces utilize capacitive touch sensing - the same principle used in smartphone displays.
External press release
25 Apr 2023

TactoTek adds TracXon Solutions to enhance supply of IMSE Technology
Finnish IMSE pioneer TactoTek and TracXon, an innovative spin-off of the Holst Centre, have signed a license agreement
Update interview
7 Apr 2023

Tactotek
Tactotek has developed a methodology for producing decorative surfaces with embedded electronics functionality, termed in-mold structural electronics. IDTechEx caught up with SVP for Business Development Dave Rice to learn about the current status of both the technological development and its adoption into different markets.
Update interview
3 Jan 2023

MacDermid Alpha
MacDermind Alpha produces 'electronics manufacturing solutions', encompassing a wide range of materials and processes. At the 'Printed Electronic Innovations Showcase Day', it outlined its in-mold electronics portfolio.
Update interview
20 Dec 2022

E2IP
Canadian firm E2IP outlined how its screen-printing and molding technology can be used to create meta-surfaces for manipulating wireless communication signals.
Full profile interview
17 Jun 2022

Finnadvance
Finnadvance is an organ-on-a-chip company for biomedical and pharmaceutical research. IDTechEx visited and spoke with the Finnadvance team.
Update interview
6 May 2022

Tactotek
In a recent webinar, Tactotek outlined how its in-mold structural electronics (IMSE) components can be utilized for smart surfaces and smart homes. This is a different target market to the often cited applications for in-mold electronics in the automotive and domestic appliance sectors.
External press release
5 May 2022

TactoTek Licensee Nanogate is ready for IMSE Manufacturing
TactoTek announces that its licensee, Nanogate, is ready to mass produce IMSE parts. Nanogate recently completed the IMSE Builder technology transfer and has verified IMSE manufacturing capabilities.
External press release
28 Apr 2022

DuraTech Industries Licenses TactoTek Technology
TactoTek and DuraTech Industries announced that DuraTech has licensed TactoTek IMSE technology. DuraTech is a TactoTek Design and Innovate licensee with rights to sell, design, and produce parts that use TactoTek's intellectual property which includes 44 patent families with over 130 granted patents, as well as extensive trade secrets and know-how for designing and producing IMSE parts. DuraTech will create and deliver IMSE solutions for its customers in North America and around the world from production facilities in the USA.
Update interview
9 Mar 2022

Tactotek
Sustainability is a challenge for in-mold electronics (IME) due to the integrated nature of the components. This profile reviews a recent Tactotek webinar discussing sustainability for IME, which included a new life cycle analysis.
18 Jan 2022

In-Mold Electronics: Multiple Players, Diverging Strategies
How do we communicate with our electronic devices? There are many different 'human-machine interfaces (HMI)' options, ranging from the well-established (keyboard/mouse/mechanical switches) to somewhat more recent developments such as the capacitive touch screens found on smartphones. As greater numbers of devices around us gain 'smart' functionality, the ability to incorporate HMI components elegantly and cost-effectively is increasingly important.
Update interview
7 Dec 2021

Symbiose
Symbiose are spin-off from CEA Liten that are developing in-mold electronics (IME). The company has recently built a factory near Bordeaux, with the aim of becoming a parts manufacturer. IDTechEx met Symbiose and interacted with its demonstration components at Huawei's Smart Cockpit Workshop in December 2021.
Other
1 Dec 2021

TactoTek: Smarter surfaces for a smarter future
Whitepaper by TactoTek: How 3D Structural electronics will change the way we design, create and experience the future
External press release
23 Nov 2021

TactoTek Secures €22 Million Grant and Loan Funding
TactoTek, the Finland-based company that develops and licenses Injection Molded Structural Electronics technology, announced that the company has received up to €15 million in financing from the European Guarantee Fund. TactoTek is the first company to receive an EGF investment. TactoTek engaged the Grannenfelt Finance to support investment application and processing.
Full profile interview
15 Nov 2021

Canatu
Canatu is a Finnish carbon nanomaterial developer, delivering engineered solutions based on carbon nanotubes and its proprietary carbon nanobud (carbon nanotube and fullerene hybrid) material. The company's focus is in the automotive and semiconductor industries. It is able to manufacture freestanding carbon nanotube films at thicknesses in the tens on nanometres.
Update interview
8 Oct 2021

PolyIC
PolyIC produce capacitive touch sensors based on transparent conductive films, which can be integrated within 3D plastic parts. This update profile is based on a presentation given at the 'Elantas Printed Electronics Day' in October 2021.
Background
13 Sep 2021

Faurecia
Faurecia is a tier 1 automotive supplier, based in France. As the largest supplier of vehicle interiors, it is investing in and developing in-mold electronics (IME) to produce decorative touch-sensitive interfaces with integrated electronics.
Background
26 Jul 2021

Clayens NP
Clayens NP is a large French company that describes itself as a 'specialist in metalloplastic and electronic transformation' - essentially shaping plastic/metal and integrating additional functionality. This profile focuses on Clayens NP's activities in the in-mold electronics space. The company was formerly known as Sintex NP, but changed its name in 2020.
Full profile interview
15 Jul 2021

Kyocera
IDTechEx interviewed Seiichi Karatsu, Atsushi Iwasaki, Daisuke Takahashi and Masanori Yamamoto from Kyocera about their activities in haptics, including their HAPTIVITY products and their latest work on haptics within in mold electronics.
7 Jun 2021

Automotive Interior Differentiation is the New Battleground
Automotive OEMs are increasingly using interior features to distinguish between models and from other brands. There are, therefore, extensive opportunities for printed/flexible electronics to add additional functionality to the cockpit while facilitating efficient manufacturing.