In addition to the Nighthawk, Covestro will introduce the BatRay Air Command Console. These demonstrators are designed to show various home and car use cases which are not only innovative but also more environmentally friendly as they reduce the number of parts to fill a use case, reduce the use of plastic up to 70% and Up to 35% CO2 emissions compared to conventional electronics. In both units, the electronics for wiring and touch controls are printed using clean additive processes, and the electronic components are surface mounted on a polycarbonate film which, along with a decorative film, is inserted into a injection mold for encapsulation in a polycarbonate resin. The result is a one-piece, seamless, IMSE® electronic structure.

These functional and decorative surfaces include in-mold lighting and touch controls. The Nighthawk includes a display added after the injection molding process; the BatRay includes a printed Bluetooth® antenna. This allows designers to seamlessly blend control surfaces with the decor of cars, kitchens, bathrooms and industrial workspaces. Now any surface can be a smart surface.

The high clarity, low viscosity and unique thermal conductivity of Makrolon® polycarbonate resins are essential to make these devices possible, while Makrofol® polycarbonate films offer UV and scratch resistance. Reducing the complexity of the material stack of any device increases the potential for efficient separation and recycling. Covestro brings over 65 years of polycarbonate manufacturing experience to help bring these new, innovative and more sustainable solutions to the world.

“Devices that use IMSE® solutions are not only thinner, but also 50 to 70% lighter than traditional devices, reducing the carbon footprint of these devices during manufacture, transport and use,” says John Skabardonis, director of technical marketing at Covestro. “IMSE parts have exceeded the demanding requirements of the automotive industry, opening the door to rapid adoption in other markets. In addition, the aesthetics and functions of IMSE parts can be changed without changing tooling, allowing efficient localization and low cost product upgrades.

“The structures do not disappear, so it is very beneficial to integrate the electronic functionalities desired by the users in these structures and to simplify the overall assembly, turning them into smart surfaces,” says Jussi Harvela, CEO of TactoTek®. “IMSE® solutions enable differentiated designs, easily fit into familiar and unconventional locations. In addition, they are an important step towards a more sustainable future. ”