General Silicones now offers in-mold decoration film

Hsinchu, Taiwan – General Silicones (GS) announced the availability of its new product line of decorative film laminates based on its Compo-SiL® technology. Compo-SiL® silicone solves the problem of the adhesion of cured silicone rubber films to surfaces. The patented technology creates firm and durable adhesion to most surfaces during in-mold decoration (IMD) and out-mold decoration (OMD) processes.

The unique properties of silicone rubber, in combination with the Compo-SiL® technology, allow IMD/OMD providers to supply their customers with a new range of surface properties and more flexibility in decoration.

GS manufactures Compo-SiL® decorative film with visual, tactile, and material properties that traditional decorative film cannot achieve.

Unlike thermal-plastic film, the thermal-set silicone rubber of Compo-SiL® film offers the added benefit that surface trim won’t disappear during thermoforming.

Plastic material quickly deteriorates from UV, water, and heat exposure in outdoor conditions. The high resistance to water, heat, cold, and UV light of silicone rubber gives brands creating products used in harsh outdoor environments to have decorations and logos that do not risk deterioration from environmental factors.

Compo-SiL® decorative film can be shipped in rolls as a transparent film. The client digitally prints his customers desired designs on-site using standard digital printers. Testing different design concepts and creative ideas are now additional services mold companies can offer to their customer thanks to the flexibility of on-site printing.

IMD/OMD in the automotive and transportation industry benefits from the ability of the silicone rubber film to transmit light and act as a touch interface. Interior roofs of aircraft, cars, and buses can provide specific patterns of light transmission; dashboards can include HMI touch interfaces to replace buttons.

Compo-SiL® film produced for decoration is compatible with existing IMD/OMD machinery and production processes. Clients do not need to invest additional resources to take advantage of the new properties that silicone rubber mold films provide.