Nissha Printing partners with TactoTek to deliver injection moulded structural electronics
Nissha Printing Co., Ltd, a leading Japanese manufacturer of in-mould decoration (IMD) parts for automotive and home appliance OEMs, announced that they are partnering with TactoTek from Finland, a leading producer of 3D injection moulded structural electronics (IMSE), to collaboratively design and mass produce automotive and home appliance control panels. The first control panel includes a number of electronic functions including printed circuitry, high performance capacitive touch and LEDs encapsulated within injection moulded plastic and is scheduled for high volume mass production in 2017.
Kaz Oki, VP of New Product Planning at Nissha USA, Inc, said: “We have invested considerable time and resources evaluating IMSE technology; TactoTek’s fluency in adapting traditional electronics designs into IMSE solutions, combined with their ability to quickly produce prototypes that are ready for mass production in their vertically-integrated factory sets them apart from all other companies.”
“Replacing the separate full-sized printed circuit board and light guide structure in the current product with a single IMSE component will yield many benefits,” continued Kaz Oki. “Using an IMSE component will streamline the supply chain, accelerate design innovation, and reduce total costs by simplifying electrical and mechanical assembly. In addition, because IMSE electronics are encapsulated in plastic, they are protected from the moist, vibrating operating environment of this equipment. All of this is accomplished while also reducing the amount of plastic used in the final assembly which reduces the carbon footprint.”
“Nissha has proven itself as a leading Tier 1 manufacturer of high quality solutions over many years,” said Jussi Harvela, CEO of TactoTek, “we are very pleased that Nissha has confirmed our IMSE leadership by selecting TactoTek as their partner, and we look forward to combining the expertise of both companies to deliver superior solutions to OEMs and improving user experiences for consumers.”